Fronted by the 500m-long Esplanade des Invalides lawns, the Hôtel des Invalides was built in the 1670s by Louis XIV to house 4000 invalides (disabled war veterans). On 14 July 1789, a mob broke into the building and seized 32,000 rifles before heading on to the prison at Bastille and the start of the French Revolution.
Admission includes entry to all Hôtel des Invalides sights. Hours for individual sites often vary – check the website for updates.
In the Cour d’Honneur , the nation’s largest collection on the history of the French military is displayed at the Musée de l'Armée . South is Église St-Louis des Invalides , once used by soldiers, and Église du Dôme which, with its sparkling golden dome (1677–1735), is one of the finest religious edifices erected under Louis XIV and was the inspiration for the United States Capitol building. It received the remains of Napoléon in 1840. The extravagant Tombeau de Napoléon 1er , in the centre of the church, comprises six coffins fitting into one another like a Russian doll. Scale models of towns, fortresses and châteaux across France fill the esoteric Musée des Plans-Reliefs .
Regular classical concerts (some free, others costing up to €9) take place here year-round.
