Interior of the Church of the Hotel des Invalides
The view taken in 1828, shows the interior of the Church of the Hotel des Invalides designed by M Mansard in the reign of Louis XIV. Forty pillars of the Composite order support a balustrade. The interior is painted by La Fosse, Le Brun and others. The medallions of French kings from Clovis to Louis XIV are kept in the church. They were removed during the Revolution and replaced by philosophers including Voltaire and Rousseau. The figures around the altar are by Vancleve and Coustou. There are four chapels dedicated to the four Latin fathers, St Ambrose, St Jerome, St Augustine and St Gregory. In the dome are monuments to Vauban and Marshal Turenne. The latter was moved from the Museé des Monumens Français to the Church of St Denis before it came to the Chapelle. In this chapel Napoleon distributed the Legion of Honour to his soldiers and presented the sword of Fredrick the Great of Prussia to the chapel. The many standards gained by France since the Revolution were in the chapel but burnt by Joseph Buonoparte when the allies approached Paris after the defeat of French armies. The altar destroyed during the Revolution was restored by Boischard. The image was drawn by B Feney under the direction of A Pugin and engraved by J Winkles
Size: 3635px × 5130px
Location: Paris, France
Photo credit: © Cameni Images / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
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