Friday, December 19, 2008

Dome Church & Napoleon's Tomb - November 27, 08

The last place I visited on my trip to Paris was the Dome Church and Napoleon's Tomb.

Jules Hardouin-Mansart was asked in 1676 by the Sun King, Louis XIV, to build the Dome Church around the existing buildings of the Invalides military refuge. A soldiers church has already been built, but the Dome was to be reserved for the exclusive use of the Sun King and for the location of royal tombs. The resulting masterpiece compliments the surround buildings and is one of the greatest examples of 17th century French architecture.

After Louis XIV's death, plans to bury the royal family in the church were abandoned, and it became a monument to Bourbon glory. In 1814 Louis-Philippe decided to install Napoleon's remains in the crypt, and the addition of the tombs of Vauban, Marshal Foch and other figures of military prominence have since turned this church into a French military memorial.

I have pictures of the others tomb, but didn't put put them on my blog.

All these angel figures surround the tomb of Napoleon.

Napoleons tomb is HUGE. His body was encased in six coffins and then finally placed in the crypt in 1861.

Here I am, standing in front of Napoleons tomb.

The Dome Church. Pretty isn't it?

Me again, with the Dome Church in the background.

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