Tomb of Napoleon

The Tomb of Napoleon at Les Invalides in Paris is one of the most visited monuments in France. Designed by architect Louis Visconti and completed in 1861, the tomb sits within a circular open crypt beneath the gilded dome of the Dôme des Invalides.

The crypt descends six meters below floor level, measuring twenty-one meters in diameter. At its center rests a massive red quartzite sarcophagus from Russia. Tsar Nicholas I granted special permission in 1848 for the stone to be quarried at Shoksha. The material was chosen because it resembles the porphyry reserved for Roman emperors.

Twelve pillars adorned with Victories (sculpted by James Pradier) encircle the tomb, symbolizing Napoleon's major military campaigns. Floor mosaics name his greatest battles. The sarcophagus contains six nested coffins holding Napoleon's remains, which were returned from Saint Helena in 1840 and finally placed here on April 2, 1861. The Musée de l'Armée now occupies Les Invalides, making the tomb accessible to visitors year-round.