Les Invalides compiled by: Rolonda
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Overview
Les Invalides, officially known as L'Hôtel national des Invalides (The National Residence of the Invalids), is a complex of buildings in the 7th arrondissement of Paris, France, containing museums and monuments, all relating to the military history of France, as well as a hospital and a retirement home for war veterans, the building's original purpose. The buildings house the Musée de l'Armée, the military museum of the Army of France, the Musée des Plans-Reliefs, and the Musée d'Histoire Contemporaine, as well as the burial site for some of France's war heroes, notably Napoleon Bonaparte.
History of Les Invalides
One of the things that stands out with Les Invalides when entering from the north is the beautiful gate. Visitors can see a Latin inscription above the entrance. The inscription says, “Louis the Great, by his royal generosity for his men for the continuation of times, founded this building in 1675.” In this case, Louis the Great refers to Louis XIV. On the left side of the inscription sits the virtue of wisdom and on the right the virtue of justice.
Musée de l’Armée
Today a large part of the Les Invalides is dedicated to museums, the most famous one being the Musée de l’Armée; the Army Museum. This museum was opened 1905 and is considered one of the greatest art and military museums in the world. The fact that the museum itself is located at the heart of a large historical site offers an exceptional aspect to it which few other museums can match.
Sources:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Les_Invalides
http://www.timeout.fr/paris/en/popular-venues/les-invalides-musee-de-larmee
http://www.worldsiteguides.com/europe/france/paris/les-invalides/
Les Invalides, officially known as L'Hôtel national des Invalides (The National Residence of the Invalids), is a complex of buildings in the 7th arrondissement of Paris, France, containing museums and monuments, all relating to the military history of France, as well as a hospital and a retirement home for war veterans, the building's original purpose. The buildings house the Musée de l'Armée, the military museum of the Army of France, the Musée des Plans-Reliefs, and the Musée d'Histoire Contemporaine, as well as the burial site for some of France's war heroes, notably Napoleon Bonaparte.
History of Les Invalides
- Louis XIV, the French King who built the Palace of Versailles, staged many wars in Europe.
- In 1670, he commissioned Les Invalides in Paris, a 13 hectare hospital for wounded soldiers.
- With their large church topped by a 107 meters high golden dome, Les Invalides are a masterpiece of French classical architecture.
- The ashes of the greatest French military genius of all time, Napoleon, rest under the dome of Les Invalides and attract many visitors to Paris.
One of the things that stands out with Les Invalides when entering from the north is the beautiful gate. Visitors can see a Latin inscription above the entrance. The inscription says, “Louis the Great, by his royal generosity for his men for the continuation of times, founded this building in 1675.” In this case, Louis the Great refers to Louis XIV. On the left side of the inscription sits the virtue of wisdom and on the right the virtue of justice.
Musée de l’Armée
Today a large part of the Les Invalides is dedicated to museums, the most famous one being the Musée de l’Armée; the Army Museum. This museum was opened 1905 and is considered one of the greatest art and military museums in the world. The fact that the museum itself is located at the heart of a large historical site offers an exceptional aspect to it which few other museums can match.
Sources:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Les_Invalides
http://www.timeout.fr/paris/en/popular-venues/les-invalides-musee-de-larmee
http://www.worldsiteguides.com/europe/france/paris/les-invalides/