The Eglise du Dôme and the Eglise Saint-Louis-des-Invalides

TheHôtel des Invalides is home to a number of museums (including the Musée de l'Armée) and monuments, including not one but two churches: theEglise du Dôme and the Eglise Saint-Louis-des-Invalides.

• The Dome Church

This chapel was built between 1677 and 1706 for the exclusive use of the royal family, and the interior decorations express the glory of Louis XIV and the monarchy. Under Napoleon Bonaparte, theEglise du Dôme became a military pantheon. The remains of Marshal Turenne and the heart of Vauban were transferred there.

In 1840, theEglise du Dôme welcomed the remains of Napoleon I, 19 years after his death on St. Helena Island. Since then, he has been laid to rest in an impressive tomb of red quartzite, set on a pedestal of green Vosges granite.

Not to be missed during your visit: the majestic dome, the black marble sarcophagus depicting Vauban half-reclining and, of course, the tomb of Napoleon I, surrounded by the graves of his son, brothers and great generals and marshals.

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• Eglise Saint-Louis-des-Invalides or "Church of the Soldiers

At the request of Louis XIV and War Minister Louvois, construction of theEglise Saint-Louis-des-Invalides began in 1676, to accommodate soldiers in an annex of the Dome. The plans were entrusted to the architect Jules Hardouin-Mansart, who designed a building that would allow the King and his soldiers to attend the same mass, while entering through different doors, as required by protocol. The soldiers were also required to attend daily mass in this sober, uncluttered edifice dedicated to Saint-Louis.

The choir of theEglise Saint-Louis-des-Invalides is the only choir in France to be decorated with French flags, and under the vault you can even see flags and banners taken from the enemy. It was also in this church that Berlioz's Requiem was first performed.

For the record, architect Jules Hardouin-Mansart had planned to continue work on the Invalides by adding a colonnade to the church, inspired by that of St. Peter's Basilica in Rome; but the project never saw the light of day.

In 1870, however, a glass roof was created to separate the two churches, creating a rather astonishing effect. Please note that it is not possible to go from the Soldiers' Church (free) to the Dome (paying) from inside the buildings.

Even today, theEglise Saint-Louis-des-Invalides remains the cathedral of the French armies. Before you leave, take a stroll through the Jardin de l'Intendant!