Originally a home and hospital for aged and unwell soldiers, the name is a shortened form of hôpital des invalides. Under the golden dome of Les Invalides is the tomb of Napoleon Bonaparte. Initiated in 1670 by King Louis XIV, the building retained its primary function of a retirement home and hospital for military veterans until the early twentieth century.
Napoleon was initially interred on Saint Helena, but King Louis-Philippe arranged for his remains to be brought to France in 1840. Napoleon's ashes were first buried in the Chapelle Saint-Jérôme in the Invalides until his final resting place was finished in 1861.
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Napoleon has certainly been given an unusual, almost regal final resting place! That last photo with the gold touches captures a fascinating scene!
ReplyDeleteA king paying homage to an emperor. Interesting that Louis-Philippe was also exiled and died in England. History seems to have repeated itself.
ReplyDeleteGreat photos of this magnificent structure.
Did not know about this. Most interesting.
ReplyDeleteVery impressive looking place.
ReplyDeletewhat an hororable burial he had!
ReplyDeleteHah! I have so many images of this coffin and of Les Invalides. Last May I stayed in an apartment just two streets away. It was delightful. This, indeed, was where I met Mark from Grafton early one morning as he was shepherding a troupe of Year something kids on a European trip encompassing ANZAC Day.
ReplyDeleteNapoleon's final resting place is so glittering and gold-leafed that I eventually considered it nowt but tawdry.
Did you get to The Pantheon, too. I stayed close to that in September 2010 and spent an entire day with the impressive dead. The Frogs do death nearly as well as the Yanks.
This is one I have seen too and too gawdy for my taste.
ReplyDeleteFirst thing I thought as well Julie when I saw Peter's post. Peter you got better shots than I did of the Little General's Tomb. It is an amazing place.
ReplyDeleteSuch a small man in such a bombastic grave....
ReplyDeleteWhat an impressive tomb.
ReplyDeleteLeave it to Napoleon!
ReplyDeletePeter, when you said that your teacher told you to 'take' tiles from Rookwood, do you mean knick or do you mean rub?
ReplyDeleteGreat captures Peter. Glad that I could finally get my internet working well enough to load the pics. Your shots bring back memories about visiting this tomb and other parts of Paris.
ReplyDeletehahaha, i wanted to write exactly the same as biebkriebels; what a big grave for such a small man.. :D
ReplyDeletedid you know that one part of napoleon apparently is not in that grave?
http://newyork.untappedcities.com/2011/04/29/tired-of-royal-wedding-news-napoleons-penis-is-stored-in-new-jersey/