Invalides Esplanade

park, Paris, France

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June 29, 2026

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The Invalides Esplanade is a large, open area in Paris, France, measuring approximately 1,470 feet long and 810 feet wide. It slopes gently down to the Seine River and the Alexandre III Bridge. This esplanade is part of the Hôtel des Invalides complex, which was originally built by King Louis XIV in the 17th century to house and care for disabled war veterans. The complex also includes the Dome Church, famous for its gold-leaf-covered dome and housing the tomb of Napoleon I, as well as other French military figures. Today, parts of Les Invalides serve as museums, including the Army Museum, and a military hospital remains in operation.12

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Paris
The Invalides of Paris
One street to the northeast of the Military Academy is the Hôtel des Invalides, founded by King Louis XIV to shelter 7,000 aged or invalid veterans. The enormous range of buildings was completed in five years (1671–76). The gold-plated dome (1675–1706) that rises…
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One street to the northeast of the Military Academy is the Hôtel des Invalides, founded by King Louis XIV to shelter 7,000 aged or invalid veterans. The enormous range of buildings was completed in five years (1671–76). The gold-plated dome (1675–1706) that rises…
Read More