Les Invalides, Military complex in 7th arrondissement, France
Les Invalides is a monumental building complex in the 7th arrondissement of Paris that combines museums, churches, and military institutions. The golden dome rises above limestone walls that enclose grounds of roughly 13 hectares and contain several courtyards and galleries.
Louis XIV ordered construction in 1670 to house and care for wounded soldiers from his military campaigns. The architect Libéral Bruant designed the first buildings, while Jules Hardouin-Mansart later added the domed church.
The Army Museum inside displays uniforms, weapons, and paintings that guide visitors through different periods of French military history. Veterans still participate in ceremonies that recall the original purpose of the complex as a care home for soldiers.
The site holds Napoleon's tomb, two churches, several exhibition spaces, and still functions as an active center for veterans. Visitors can enter the central courtyard freely, while museums and the domed church require separate tickets.
The central courtyard displays a collection of French bronze cannons with ornate decorations cast into their barrels from the 17th century. Some of these guns bear names of mythological figures cast directly into the metal.
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