Behind the main altar at the back of the church, a stained glass window divides the church from the domed chapel called Dôme des Invalides: a true Baroque masterpiece that was designed as a building exclusively for the king and the court.
You'll certainly have noticed its clear resemblance to the dome decorated by Michelangelo at St. Peter's in Rome: its golden covering weighs an impressive twenty-five pounds. You can quickly cross the chapel's interior and go down to the circular crypt and Napoleon Bonaparte's tomb. It is a simple but impressive sarcophagus in red porphyry from Finland. But you're probably asking yourself, didn't Napoleon die in exile on the distant island of Saint Helena? Of course, but you should know that in 1840, nineteen years after his death, the British government returned his remains to the French government. The transport of his remains from Africa and the burial under the dome of Les Invalides were very emotional events for the rediscovered national pride. You can see the tombs of his two brothers Joseph and Jérôme next to his, as well as the most famous commanders of his armies.
Language: English