Editing Les Invalides (section)

==Architecture==
=== North Front and entrance ===

[[File:Hôtel des Invalides, North View, Paris 7e 140402 1.jpg|thumb|center|800px|The north front of the Invalides: Hardouin-Mansart's Dome, behind it, stands above Bruant's pedimented central block]]

<gallery mode="packed" heights="200">

File:Paris - Les Invalides - Façade nord - Statue de Minerve - PA00088714 - 004.jpg|The portal is guarded by a statue of the Goddess [[Minerva]]
File:North portal of Hôtel des Invalides, Paris 11 June 2013.jpg|The north portal, depicting Louis XIV on horseback
File:Paris - Les Invalides - Façade nord - 005.jpg|Statue of Mars, the God of War, by the north portal
</gallery>

[[Hardouin-Mansart]]'s Dome chapel is large enough to dominate the long façade yet harmonizes with Bruant's door under an arched pediment on the north front of Les Invalides. To the north, the courtyard (cour d'honneur) is extended by a wide public esplanade (''Esplanade des Invalides'') where the embassies of Austria and Finland are neighbors of the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs, all forming one of the grand open spaces in the heart of Paris. At its far end, the [[Pont Alexandre III]] links this grand urbanistic axis with the [[Petit Palais]] and the [[Grand Palais]]. The [[Pont des Invalides]] is next, downstream the Seine river.

===The Dome des Invalides===
<gallery mode="packed" heights="150">
File:Cathédrale Saint-Louis-des-Invalides, 140309 2.jpg|The Dôme des Invalides, {{convert|107|m|ft}} tall 
File:Paris - Détail du dôme des Invalides - 0009.jpg|Detail of the dome, decorated with {{convert|12.65|kg|lb}} of gold leaf
File:Paris - Plafond du dôme des Invalides.jpg|Interior of the Dome
</gallery>

<gallery mode="packed" heights="150">
File:Paris Les Invalides Dome Innen Grabrotunde 1.jpg|Interior of the dome with murals by [[Charles de la Fosse]]
File:Hôtel des Invalides - porte.jpg|The bronze and gilded doors to the dome 
File:Paris Dôme des Invalides interior Pendentif.jpg|A mural by [[Charles de la Fosse]]
</gallery>
The Dome is the tallest and most famous of the buildings of Les Invalides.  Designed by [[Jules Hardouin-Mansart]],  it takes the form of a Greek cross, on a square plan. Each of the facades is composed of two orders superimposed. The porch is topped by triangular fronton. It is crowned by a dome 90 meters, high, surmounted by lantern bringing the height to 107 meters (351 feet), making it taller than [[Notre Dame de Paris]] and the tallest of all Paris church domes.<ref name="ReferenceA">"Histoire de ;l'hotel des Invalides: La coupole du Dome par Charles de Fosse", published on-line by the Musee d'Armee.</ref>

The dome is actually composed of two domes superimposed. The lower dome is largely open at the base, allowed the visitors below to see the art painted on the dome above by [[Charles de La Fosse]]. The windows are masked by the lower dome, which permits natural lighting and gives the impression that viewers are actually seeing the sky, a popular Baroque affect.<ref name="ReferenceA"/>

The interior of the dome is divided into two separate churches;  beneath the dome is the chapel that was used, on rare occasions, by the royal family. Attached to there dome is a separate church, the [[Cathedral of Saint-Louis-des-Invalides, Paris]], which was used by the veterans who lived at Les Invalides. They were required to attend daily services in the church.

The painting inside the dome by Charles de la Fosse depicts Saint Louis presenting his sword to Christ and the angels. In the center of the composition, God and the Virgin are surrounded by angel musicians. Saint Louis carries the symbols of royalty; a crown, a garden with flour-des-lys emblems, and a royal mantle. To the right of Christ are placed the symbols of the passion and the suffering of Christ; the cross, nails, a lance, and the crown of thorns.<ref name="ReferenceA"/>

[[Charles de la Fosse]] (1636-1716), a student of [[Le Brun]], was one of the leading painters of the Academy, whose work is also found in the [[Palace of Versailles]]. Jules Hardouin Mansard, in charge of all the decoration of the dome, asked La Fosse to decorate the cupola and the pendentives with paintings of the four Evangelists.  In the same period, he decorated the salons of Diane and Apollo at the [[Palace of Versailles]].

=== Tomb of Napoleon ===
{{Main|Napoleon's tomb}}
<gallery mode="packed" heights="150">
File:Napoleons tomb Paris France.jpg|Tomb of Napoleon in a recess below the dome
File:Paris - Dôme des Invalides - Tombeau de Napoléon - 002.jpg|Sarcophagus of Napoleon 
File:Memento Marengo.jpg|The altar above the tomb
</gallery>

The Tomb of Napoleon is found within the Church of the Dome. It was created after his remains were returned to France from Saint Helena in 1840. It was prepared by King Louis Philippe I and his Prime Minister, [[Adolphe Thiers]], but it was not completed and inaugurated until
1861. The chief architect was [[Louis Visconti]], who died before the tomb was completed. The sarcophagus made of purple [[quartzite]], on a base of green granite, is placed in an open crypt,  The crypt is surrounded by a circular gallery supported by twelve pillars, with relief panel and sculpture celebrating Napoleon's accomplishments, represented by figures of Atlantes. (See also [[Napoleon's tomb]])

=== Cathedral of Saint-Louis-des-Invalides ===
{{Main|Cathedral of Saint-Louis-des-Invalides, Paris}}
<gallery mode="packed" heights="150"> 
File:Paris Les Invalides Cathédrale Saint-Louis Innen Chor 3.jpg|The window behind the altar looks into chapel of the dome
File:Interior of cathédrale Saint-Louis-des-Invalides 002.jpg|Nave with enemy flags captured by French Army 
File:Paris - Cathédrale Saint-Louis des Invalides - L'orgue - 001.jpg|Organ with case designed by Hardouin-Mansart
</gallery>
In 1957, the position of vicar was created to oversee the spiritual education of the army. In 1986 a position of the Bishop of the armies was established and placed at the church, which gave the church the title of cathedral.<ref name="Anne Muratori-Philip 2001, p. 20">Anne Muratori-Philip, Histoire des Invalides, Éditions Perrin, 2001, p. 20.</ref>

The church is located directly behind the Dome des Invalides. It was originally the church that was used by the army veterans who lived at Les Invalides. They were required to attend daily services in the cathedral.  In the original church,  the dome, where the royal family worshipped, served as the choir, while the present cathedral was the nave for the veterans.

One unusual feature of the church is the display of captured enemy flags taken over the years by the French Army.<ref name="Anne Muratori-Philip 2001, p. 20"/>

The cathedral has a particularly fine organ, made between 1679 and 1687, with a vert elaborate case with sculpture designed by architect [[Jules Hardouin-Mansart]].

=== The Courtyard of Honor ===
<gallery mode="packed" heights="150">
File:Cour d'honneur des Invalides 001.jpg|Courtyard of Honor, with the Dome behind it. The Army Museum is on the left.
File:Donald J. Trump and President Emmanuel Macron, July 13, 2017 (01).jpg|President Macron welcomes President Trump to Les Invalides (July 17, 2017)
File:Paris - Les Invalides - Cour d'honneur - La statue de Napoléon - 001.jpg|Entrance to the Army Museum on the Courtyard of Honor
File:Statue aux invalides.jpg|Statue of Napoleon overlooking the courtyard 
File:Cannons of Les Invalides - 1 (4102586114).jpg|Cannons on display in the courtyard
</gallery>

The organ of the cathedral is particularly notable. It was made by the organ-builder of the King, Alexandre Thierry, between 1679 and 1687, and has undergone several restorations.  The elabroate buffet with sculpture was made in 1683. It was specially designed for the church by the architect, [[Jules Hardouin-Mansart]].