One of the most famous and most popular attractions of the capital of France is the House of Disabled. We offer you to learn about the history of its occurrence and related interesting facts.
Disabled House in Paris: photo, description
This building is a complex of buildings located in the 7th district of the city. In French, this place is called Les Invalides. There are monuments and museums related to the military history of the country. In addition, there is a nursing home and a hospital designed for veterans. Thus, the building is used not only as a landmark and monument, but also for its intended purpose. As for history, here are the museums of the Army, Modern History, Plans and reliefs. In addition, the complex contains the tombs of a number of French military heroes, the most famous of which is Napoleon.
History
The House of Invalids in Paris began to be built thanks to the decree of King Louis XIV, dated 1670. This building was supposed to be a haven and hospital for sick and aged soldiers. The architect of this building was Liberal Bruen. As of 1676, most of the buildings were completed. The facade of the House of Invalids was almost 200 meters long, and the complex consisted of fifteen courtyards, the largest of which was intended for parades. The construction project also included a church, the construction of which was completed after the death of architect Bruen in 1979. She was given the name Saint Louis des Invalides. Shortly after its construction, the architect Monsar began the construction of a new church designed exclusively for the king. For its model was taken St. Peter's Basilica in Rome. The construction turned out harmonious and magnificent and became one of the symbols of the baroque architecture of France. Due to its magnificent appearance, the church is often called the Cathedral of the House of Disabled.
Burial places
Of course, one of the most famous attractions of the complex is the tomb of Napoleon in the House of the Disabled. Initially, the emperor was buried on St. Helena, where he died. However, in 1840, King Louis Philippe organized the transfer of his body to the Church of St. Jerome. The Disabled House in Paris is also the burial place of several members of the Napoleon family, who served under him under the supervision of military officers and other French military heroes.
Army Museum
Going on an excursion to the Disabled House in Paris, many tourists try to visit this attraction without fail. The Museum of the Army collection covers the period from antiquity to modern times. It was founded in 1871 and was initially called the Museum of Artillery. In those days, the word "artillery" meant a variety of objects related to weapons. In 1896, the Museum of the History of the Army was created. In 1905, it was decided to merge the two museums. Today, the Museum of the Army has almost half a million exhibits, including armor, weapons, uniforms, emblems, paintings, books and much more. The total exhibition area is 12 thousand square meters. All collections are divided by historical periods, and visitors have the opportunity to make a kind of journey from the times of the ancient world to the 20th century.
Museum of Relief Plans
The history of this building dates back to 1668. It was at that time that the War Minister of King Louis XIV - Francois-Michel Le Tellier - began to assemble a collection including three-dimensional models of fortified cities. This was done exclusively for military purposes. Particular attention in the layouts was given to city fortifications and topographic features of the landscape (hills, ports, etc.). In 1700, the king ordered the collection to be moved to the Louvre. At first, the models were made by military engineers in the field. However, in 1743 two workshops were created for these purposes, in Lille and Bethune. Most of the models presented at the exposition were made during and after the end of the war for the Austrian inheritance, which lasted from 1741 to 1748. The purpose of their creation was a visual representation of recently captured cities. The collection was significantly updated in 1754. Subsequently, its exhibits almost ceased to be used. In 1774, the collection was almost destroyed as a result of the fact that the Louvre Gallery, where it was located, decided to reorient to painting. But in 1777, the exposition was moved to the Invalides in Paris, where it remains to this day. In total, the museum today stores about a hundred layouts. Only 28 relief plans of fortifications, which were located along the English Channel, as well as the Mediterranean and Atlantic coasts and the Pyrenees, are shown to the public.
Museum of Modern History
Initially, this institution was created in 1914 and was a Military Museum-Library. In 1973, it was moved to the House of Persons with Disabilities, and in 1987 it received its current name, which reflects the essence of collections related not only to military operations. Today in the Museum of Modern History there are more than one and a half million exhibits, which are dated from 1870 to the present. The collection collected here covers the main periods of both French and international history, thanks to the coverage of social, cultural and political issues through paintings, prints, sculptures, drawings, posters, postcards, photographs and other items. In addition to the permanent ones, various interesting temporary exhibitions are often held here.
House of Disabled Today
The high sparkling dome of one of the buildings of this complex has become one of the main landmarks of the French capital. The attraction attracts many tourists as its magnificent architecture, the unique interior of the churches, as well as museums and trophy weapons displayed in front of the Disabled Square. However, the complex is not only a historical and cultural attraction of Paris - the House of Disabled also performs its direct function. So, in its walls today live almost a hundred veterans, who care about the state.