Plate LV - Hotel des Invalides, the Army Museum
I have for some reason always associated Les Invalides with Napoleon and it is here that many relics of Napoleon’s life can be viewed, including many of his uniforms and personal arms, his deathbed and funeral mask - even the stuffed remains of one of his horses.
But, Les Invalides was first instituted by that philanthropic king, Louis XIV as a home for his disabled war veterans, and still today a part of the hôtel still serves its original purpose. It also now includes a modern military hospital.
Admittedly this is not my brightest shot; I was hurried away from my photo position by an oncoming bridal car, as a wedding procession entered the courtyard.
Many of the complex’s buildings now house displays of the Army Museum of Paris - the museum having been originally established in 1871 as one dedicated to artillerie (meaning weaponry). The collections of the, then separate, Historical Army Museum created in 1896 were merged with those of the artillerie in 1905, forming the core of today’s displayed collections - without question the richest in content in the world.
There are some half a million items in the collection and a tour of the permanent displays (allow yourself a good few hours) takes the visitor through chronological collections down the centuries.
It is a must for boys - of all ages
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