Tomb of Napoleon Bonaparte, under the gilded dome is the Cathedral of St. Louis des Invalides.

It is known that Napoleon died on the island of St. Helen May 5, 1821. In 1840, King Louis-Philippe obtained the consent of the United Kingdom to return to the dust of exile in France. December 14 the same year the frigate "La Belle Poule" brought the coffin to France. The next day, the body of the emperor with a huge crowd of people was solemnly moved to Les Invalides, the national necropolis of military leaders.

The coffin of Napoleon temporarily, until the completion of a permanent shrine, installed in the chapel of Saint Jerome. Create a permanent tomb dragged on for 20 years - the author of the project, the architect Louis Visconti, has not lived up to its completion. But construction has turned out to be extremely majestic.

A huge sarcophagus measuring 4 by 2 by 4, 5 meters high and weighing 35 tons was carved of durable, like a diamond, Karelian porphyry - dvuhsottonnuyu lump of mineral Tsar Nicholas I presented to the French government specifically for the monument. They say that while he joked that in Russia for Napoleon is always a stone.

Inside the sarcophagus there are five alternately inserted into each other tombs that hold the body of the emperor: tin, mahogany, ebony and two zinc. The tomb is set on a pedestal of granite greenish. Around twelve are winged Victory, carved by Jean Jacques Pradier especially selected blocks of Carrara marble. On the stone floor can be seen the names of cities, near where Napoleon won a victory, including - Moscow.

April 2, 1861 Napoleon's body was immured forever in a sarcophagus - in the uniform of the commander of the guards at the foot of the famous cocked hat. Entrance to the tomb is guarded by two colossal bronze guards holding the imperial crown, scepter and orb.

In the House of the disabled is also nameless gravestone, under which lay the Emperor on St. Helena. Stone can be seen from the gallery which leads to the Honorary Courtyard with four sides surrounded by buildings Invalides.