Paris Hotel National des Invalides Photos
One very popular Paris tourist attraction to visit is Hotel National des Invalides or for short Les Invalides, and its popularity is partly due to the fact that it is home to the Tomb of Napoleon Bonaparte I, but Les Invalides also houses three different Paris museums that are open to the public, plus you will find that this building is easily recognisable by its golden dome roof of the Eglise du Dome, as you can see from these remarkable high definition photos we took.
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Les Invalides photos of the Golden Eglise Dome roof
We took this close up HD photo of the top of the Les Invalides Eglise du Dome roof with all its gold gilding, which is the royal chapel at the Hotel National des Invalides that was designed by Jules Hardouin Mansart, yet it wasn't until we were looking at the image, that we realised there were statues in gold leaf positioned right by the top and spire, making this a fabulous Paris monument to discover along with the Tomb of Napoleon I that rests here.
Hotel National des Invalides photos of north façade
This is a panoramic photo of the Hotel National des Invalides, which was the very first institution constructed upon the orders of King Louis XIV in 1670 to house wounded soldiers or those that were too old to continue fighting for France, and the large complex of Les Invalides is a popular tourist attraction that is now home to military museums and houses one of the worlds finest collections of military exhibits.
Les Invalides photos of wall cannons
Here you can see the main entrance to the Hotel National des Invalides, with the immaculately maintained gardens and the shaped trees, and at the edge before you enter right by the old moat, there are several cannons on display, and this HD photo shows just one of these, yet you may also have noticed that the French flag is flying at half mast, as there was a funeral taking place on the day we were visiting Les Invalides.
Hotel National des Invalides photos of Eglise du Dome
In this HD image you can see the rear courtyard looking towards the royal chapel known as the Eglise du Dome with its beautiful golden gilded dome roof, which is probably the most recognisable part of this historical monument called the Hotel National des Invalides, that is also where the Tomb of Napoleon Bonaparte is located.
Les Invalides photos showing the arched pediment over the front entrance doors
This is a close up high definition photo of the arched pediment above the front entrance on the northern side of Les Invalides, which was designed by Liberal Bruant with its sculptures and the Latin inscription stating Louis the Great along with the Roman numerals MDCLXXV, or the year 1675, although the first war veterans were housed here as early as 1674.
Hotel National des Invalides photos of the Cour d'Honneur central courtyard
We took this photo from the second floor balcony looking at one part of the Cour d'Honneur at the Hotel National des Invalides with the many cannons on display, which was used as a military parade ground for ceremonies, yet you can also see a part of the chapel with its impressive golden dome roof, which is where you will now find the Tomb of Napoleon Bonaparte, but just below the clock there is a statue of Napoleon I.
Les Invalides photos showing one of the French army cannons on display
As you enter Les Invalides at the northern entrance, but prior to reaching the main inner courtyard, you will find some artillery from the French army or cannons that had been captured in battles, and this is a photo we took of one of the many cannons on wheels which was used in battle, and dating from the 1700s, it has been very well preserved for people to still admire today.
Hotel National des Invalides photos of private room
As we were walking around Les Invalides we were lucky enough to take this photo of one of the private rooms that was being laid out for a function, and as you can tell, there is a beautiful fireplace, fabulous paintings and a lovely decoration of a shield surrounded by different swords and an armour mask, not forgetting the fabulous decor and the chandeliers that also adorn this room within this historical monument.
Les Invalides portrait photo of Napoleon Bonaparte I
No matter how little history you know, we are sure that you will have heard the name Napoleon I or Napoleon Bonaparte, and being a military commander plus being the Emperor of France, he was captured by the English and died in captivity, but was eventually brought back to Paris and laid to rest within the Eglise du Dome, and today you can discover the Tomb of Napoleon at Les Invalides along with numerous items.
Hotel National des Invalides photos of old army tank on display
Even though there are many military exhibits at the Hotel National des Invalides that date back hundreds of years, there are also some more modern items of artillery and machinery that have been used in battles, just like the tank that you can see in this photo we took while walking around this impressive building in Paris
Hotel National des Invalides photos showing the Royal Chapel de Saint Louis des Invalides with its golden dome roof
Here you can see a HD photo we took from the square opposite Les Invalides showing the Chapel de Saint Louis des Invalides, but because it was also a royal chapel with a dome roof that was designed by Jules Hardouin Mansart, it is also known as the Eglise du Dome, yet we were also standing quite close to the statue of Marie Emile Fayolle, who was the Marechal de France or Marshal of France from 1852 to 1928.
Les Invalides photos of Jules Hardouin Mansart statue who was the architect of the Eglise du Dome
This is a photo we took showing part of the well kept grounds of Les Invalides along with a statue of Jules Hardouin Mansart who was the architect that designed the Eglise du Dome after he had taken over from Liberal Bruant when he died, yet as you can also see in this image, even the most famous Paris landmark, the Eiffel Tower, is visible in the background.
Hotel National des Invalides photos of the Court of Honour and the Eglise du Dome
This is a photo we took of a part of the Cour d'Honneur towards the impressive Eglise du Dome, that was constructed by the architect Jules Hardouin Mansart, yet if you look carefully in the centre on the second floor you will see a statue of Napoleon Bonaparte I, which has become one of the popular Paris tourist attractions, especially for those that are interested in military history.
Les Invalides photos of front gardens and main entrance
Here you can see a part of the Hotel National des Invalides, which we took from the very front before we entered the grounds, and being designed as a military institution, this is now home to one of the largest collections of arms and military exhibits in the world, and this image shows just one of the many cannons on display that were either once used by the French army or from those that had been captured in battles.
Les Invalides photos of south side with its Royal Church called the Eglise du Dome
Les Invalides is a large complex that still serves the same purpose as what it was constructed for in the 1600s, and although the main entrance is on the north side this photo shows part of the south side of the Hotel National des Invalides with the Eglise du Dome looming up and shimmering with sun hitting its gilding, which is where you will find the Tomb of Napoleon Bonaparte I and numerous exhibits.
Hotel National des Invalides photos of Cour d'Honneur with its numerous cannons on display
As you can tell from this photo of Les Invalides that we took in the Court of Honour, there are numerous different types cannons on display and each one has a story to tell, and one of the great things about visiting this tourist attraction, is the fact that even though this display is part of the impressive Musee de l'Armee, it is free to wander around without paying
Les Invalides photos showing the ornate architecture and its gold gilding on the top of the Eglise du Dome
It was King Louis XIV who gave the orders to construct a large complex to house war veterans and the French soldiers that had been injured in battle, hence the name of Hotel National des Invalides, and it also included a hospital that is still in operation today, yet within only a few years, it was decided that a chapel should also be constructed which was started in 1677 but was not completed until 1706.
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