Napoleon's tomb () is the monument erected at
Les Invalides
The Hôtel des Invalides (; ), commonly called (; ), is a complex of buildings in the 7th arrondissement of Paris, France, containing museums and monuments, all relating to the military history of France, as well as a hospital and an old soldi ...
in
Paris
Paris () is the Capital city, capital and List of communes in France with over 20,000 inhabitants, largest city of France. With an estimated population of 2,048,472 residents in January 2025 in an area of more than , Paris is the List of ci ...
to keep the remains of
Napoleon
Napoleon Bonaparte (born Napoleone di Buonaparte; 15 August 1769 – 5 May 1821), later known by his regnal name Napoleon I, was a French general and statesman who rose to prominence during the French Revolution and led Military career ...
following their repatriation to France from
Saint Helena
Saint Helena (, ) is one of the three constituent parts of Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha, a remote British overseas territory.
Saint Helena is a volcanic and tropical island, located in the South Atlantic Ocean, some 1,874 km ...
in 1840, or , at the initiative of King
Louis Philippe I
Louis Philippe I (6 October 1773 – 26 August 1850), nicknamed the Citizen King, was King of the French from 1830 to 1848, the penultimate monarch of France, and the last French monarch to bear the title "King". He abdicated from his throne ...
and his minister
Adolphe Thiers
Marie Joseph Louis Adolphe Thiers ( ; ; 15 April 17973 September 1877) was a French statesman and historian who served as President of France from 1871 to 1873. He was the second elected president and the first of the Third French Republic.
Thi ...
. While the tomb's planning started in 1840, it was only completed two decades later and inaugurated by Emperor
Napoleon III
Napoleon III (Charles-Louis Napoléon Bonaparte; 20 April 18089 January 1873) was President of France from 1848 to 1852 and then Emperor of the French from 1852 until his deposition in 1870. He was the first president, second emperor, and last ...
on 2 April 1861, after its promoter Louis Philippe I, architect
Louis Visconti, and main sculptors
James Pradier and
Pierre-Charles Simart had all died in the meantime.
Background
In early 1840, the government led by
Adolphe Thiers
Marie Joseph Louis Adolphe Thiers ( ; ; 15 April 17973 September 1877) was a French statesman and historian who served as President of France from 1871 to 1873. He was the second elected president and the first of the Third French Republic.
Thi ...
appointed a twelve-member committee () to decide on the location and outline of the funerary monument and select its architect. The committee was chaired by politician
Charles de Rémusat
Charles is a masculine given name predominantly found in English and French speaking countries. It is from the French form ''Charles'' of the Proto-Germanic name (in runic alphabet) or ''*karilaz'' (in Latin alphabet), whose meaning was ...
and included writers and artists such as
Théophile Gautier
Pierre Jules Théophile Gautier ( , ; 30 August 1811 – 23 October 1872) was a French poet, dramatist, novelist, journalist, and art and literary critic.
While an ardent defender of Romanticism, Gautier's work is difficult to classify and rema ...
,
David d'Angers, and
Jean-Auguste-Dominique Ingres
Jean-Auguste-Dominique Ingres ( ; ; 29 August 1780 – 14 January 1867) was a French Neoclassicism, Neoclassical Painting, painter. Ingres was profoundly influenced by past artistic traditions and aspired to become the guardian of academic ...
.
In April 1840, the organised a competition in which 81 architects participated, whose projects were exhibited in the recently completed
Palais des Beaux-Arts. After a protracted process,
Louis Visconti was selected as project architect in 1842 and finalised his design around mid-1843.
[
]
Design and completion
Visconti created a circular hollow, or open crypt, beneath the soaring dome of the Invalides. The crypt is accessed through a door flanked by two atlantes by Francisque Joseph Duret, with an inscription above recalling Napoleon's wish to be buried in Paris. It is surrounded by a circular gallery supported by twelve pillars adorned with victories, sculpted by James Pradier until his death in June 1852. On the gallery's wall are ten large relief
Relief is a sculpture, sculptural method in which the sculpted pieces remain attached to a solid background of the same material. The term ''wikt:relief, relief'' is from the Latin verb , to raise (). To create a sculpture in relief is to give ...
panels which celebrate Napoleon's achievements, by Pierre-Charles Simart: , , , , , , , , , . Two additional panels, by François Jouffroy, commemorate the ''retour des cendres
The ''retour des cendres'' (literally "return of the ashes", though "ashes" is used here as a metaphor for his mortal remains, as he was not cremated) was the return of the mortal remains of Napoleon I of France from the island of Saint Helena to ...
''. A ''cella
In Classical architecture, a or naos () is the inner chamber of an ancient Greek or Roman temple. Its enclosure within walls has given rise to extended meanings: of a hermit's or monk's cell, and (since the 17th century) of a biological cell ...
'' contains a partly gilded statue of Napoleon in coronation attire, also by Simart.[
At its centre is a massive sarcophagus which has often been described as made of red porphyry, including in the '']Encyclopædia Britannica
The is a general knowledge, general-knowledge English-language encyclopaedia. It has been published by Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc. since 1768, although the company has changed ownership seven times. The 2010 version of the 15th edition, ...
'' as of mid-2021, but is actually a purple Shoksha quartzite mined in Russian Karelia
Karelia (; Karelian language, Karelian and ; , historically Коре́ла, ''Korela'' []; ) is an area in Northern Europe of historical significance for Russia (including the Soviet Union, Soviet era), Finland, and Sweden. It is currentl ...
. The sarcophagus rests upon a base of green granite from the Vosges
The Vosges ( , ; ; Franconian and ) is a range of medium mountains in Eastern France, near its border with Germany. Together with the Palatine Forest to the north on the German side of the border, they form a single geomorphological unit and ...
. That green granite block rests, in turn, upon a slab of black marble, 5.5m × 1.2m × 0.65m, quarried at Sainte-Luce and transported to Paris with great difficulty. In total the project used stone from no fewer than ten different quarries in and outside France, including Carrara marble
Carrara marble, or Luna marble (''marmor lunense'') to the Romans, is a type of white or blue-grey marble popular for use in sculpture and building decor. It has been quarried since Roman times in the mountains just outside the city of Carrara ...
from Italy and the quartzite from Russia.[
The monument took years to complete, partly because of the exceptional requirements for the stone to be used. The Russian Shoksha quartzite, intended as an echo of the porphyry used for late Roman imperial burials, was quarried in 1848 by Italian engineer Giovanni Bujatti upon Tsar Nicholas I's special permission, and shipped via ]Kronstadt
Kronstadt (, ) is a Russian administrative divisions of Saint Petersburg, port city in Kronshtadtsky District of the federal cities of Russia, federal city of Saint Petersburg, located on Kotlin Island, west of Saint Petersburg, near the head ...
and Le Havre
Le Havre is a major port city in the Seine-Maritime department in the Normandy (administrative region), Normandy region of northern France. It is situated on the right bank of the estuary of the Seine, river Seine on the English Channel, Channe ...
to Paris, where it arrived on 10 January 1849. The sarcophagus was then sculpted by marbler A. Seguin using innovative steam-machinery techniques. It was almost finished by December 1853, but the final stages were delayed by the sudden death of Visconti that month and by Napoleon III
Napoleon III (Charles-Louis Napoléon Bonaparte; 20 April 18089 January 1873) was President of France from 1848 to 1852 and then Emperor of the French from 1852 until his deposition in 1870. He was the first president, second emperor, and last ...
's alternative project to move his uncle's resting place to the Basilica of Saint-Denis
The Basilica of Saint-Denis (, now formally known as the ) is a large former medieval abbey church and present cathedral in the commune of Saint-Denis, a northern suburb of Paris. The building is of singular importance historically and archite ...
, which he eventually renounced after having commissioned plans for it from Eugène Viollet-le-Duc
Eugène Emmanuel Viollet-le-Duc (; 27 January 181417 September 1879) was a French architect and author, famous for his restoration of the most prominent medieval landmarks in France. His major restoration projects included Notre-Dame de Paris, ...
. Visconti was succeeded by Jules Frédéric Bouchet and, following the latter's death in 1860, by .
On 2 April 1861, Napoleon's remains were finally transferred into the sarcophagus from the nearby chapel of Saint-Jérôme, where they had lain since 1840. The ceremony was somewhat subdued and only Napoleon III, Empress Eugénie, Louis-Napoléon, Prince Imperial, other related princes, government ministers, and senior officials of the crown were present.
Later developments
The tombs of Napoleon's brothers were completed shortly afterwards, also in the Dome church, namely that of Jérôme Bonaparte
Jérôme Bonaparte (born Girolamo Buonaparte; 15 November 1784 – 24 June 1860) was the youngest brother of Napoleon, Napoleon I and reigned as Jerome Napoleon I (formally Hieronymus Napoleon in German), Kingdom of Westphalia, King of Westphal ...
in 1862 and that of Joseph Bonaparte
Joseph Bonaparte (born Giuseppe di Buonaparte, ; ; ; 7 January 176828 July 1844) was a French statesman, lawyer, diplomat and older brother of Napoleon Bonaparte. During the Napoleonic Wars, the latter made him King of Naples (1806–1808), an ...
in 1864.
On 15 December 1940, the coffin of Napoleon II
Napoleon II (Napoléon François Joseph Charles Bonaparte; 20 March 181122 July 1832) was the disputed Emperor of the French for a few weeks in 1815. He was the son of Emperor Napoleon I and Empress Marie Louise, Duchess of Parma, Marie Louise, d ...
was transported from Vienna
Vienna ( ; ; ) is the capital city, capital, List of largest cities in Austria, most populous city, and one of Federal states of Austria, nine federal states of Austria. It is Austria's primate city, with just over two million inhabitants. ...
to be placed next to his father's, following a decision made by Adolf Hitler
Adolf Hitler (20 April 1889 – 30 April 1945) was an Austrian-born German politician who was the dictator of Nazi Germany from 1933 until Death of Adolf Hitler, his suicide in 1945. Adolf Hitler's rise to power, He rose to power as the lea ...
upon advice from his ambassador to France Otto Abetz. Intended to boost support for collaboration in the French public, that initiative ended up precipitating a political crisis in Vichy
Vichy (, ; ) is a city in the central French department of Allier. Located on the Allier river, it is a major spa and resort town and during World War II was the capital of Vichy France. As of 2021, Vichy has a population of 25,789.
Known f ...
and the abrupt dismissal of Pierre Laval
Pierre Jean Marie Laval (; 28 June 1883 – 15 October 1945) was a French politician. He served as Prime Minister of France three times: 1931–1932 and 1935–1936 during the Third Republic (France), Third Republic, and 1942–1944 during Vich ...
by Philippe Pétain
Henri Philippe Bénoni Omer Joseph Pétain (; 24 April 1856 – 23 July 1951), better known as Marshal Pétain (, ), was a French marshal who commanded the French Army in World War I and later became the head of the Collaboration with Nazi Ger ...
two days before the ceremony. On 18 December 1969, the coffin was transferred underground in the ''cella'' and covered by a marble slab.
In 2021, on the occasion of the second centenary of Napoleon's death, an installation titled ''Memento Marengo'' by French visual artist Pascal Convert
Pascal Convert (born 1957) is a French visual artist. He has made sculpture, installations and videos, and has published several books. He is perhaps best known for his monument to the hostages and Resistance fighters who were shot at Mont Valéri ...
was placed above the sarcophagus of Napoleon. It is a copy in synthetic materials of the skeleton of Napoleon's favorite horse Marengo, which is preserved as a war trophy (following Marengo's capture at the Battle of Waterloo
The Battle of Waterloo was fought on Sunday 18 June 1815, near Waterloo, Belgium, Waterloo (then in the United Kingdom of the Netherlands, now in Belgium), marking the end of the Napoleonic Wars. The French Imperial Army (1804–1815), Frenc ...
) at the National Army Museum
The National Army Museum is the British Army's central museum. It is located in the Chelsea district of central London, adjacent to the Royal Hospital Chelsea, the home of the " Chelsea Pensioners". The museum is a non-departmental public bod ...
in London
London is the Capital city, capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of both England and the United Kingdom, with a population of in . London metropolitan area, Its wider metropolitan area is the largest in Wester ...
. The arrangement has generated controversy despite its temporary nature.
Gallery
File:President Trump's Trip to France (35879447286).jpg, The open crypt seen from the ground level of the
File:Queen Victoria at the Tomb of Napoleon, 24 August 1855.jpg, Queen Victoria
Victoria (Alexandrina Victoria; 24 May 1819 – 22 January 1901) was Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland from 20 June 1837 until Death and state funeral of Queen Victoria, her death in January 1901. Her reign of 63 year ...
visiting Napoleon's temporary tomb in the Invalides, 1855
File:Expédition du procès-verbal de la translation des restes mortels de l’empereur Napoléon Ier- Archives-nationales-AE-I-21-7.jpg, Memorandum of the translation ceremony on
File:Tomb of Napoléon Bonaparte @ Dome @ Musée de l'Armée @ Les Invalides @ Paris (25163987844).jpg, Atlante holding the Crown of Napoleon and the (Duret)
File:Statue à l'entrée crypte invalides.jpg, Atlante holding the imperial orb and sword (Duret)
File:Tombeau de Napoleon - entree - frise.JPG, Inscription recalling Napoleon's wish to be buried in Paris
File:Tomb of Napoléon Bonaparte @ Dome @ Musée de l'Armée @ Les Invalides @ Paris (25164013404).jpg, Circular gallery with Simart's reliefs
File:Paris invalides napoleon tomb bas relief 1 (30413117005).jpg, (Simart)
File:Tomb of Napoléon Bonaparte @ Dome @ Musée de l'Armée @ Les Invalides @ Paris (25493800370).jpg, (Simart)
File:Tomb of Napoléon Bonaparte @ Dome @ Musée de l'Armée @ Les Invalides @ Paris (25164032214).jpg, (Simart)
File:Paris invalides napoleon tomb bas relief civil code (29781401953).jpg, (Simart)
File:Tomb of Napoleon II of France 2.jpg, Tomb of Napoleon II
Napoleon II (Napoléon François Joseph Charles Bonaparte; 20 March 181122 July 1832) was the disputed Emperor of the French for a few weeks in 1815. He was the son of Emperor Napoleon I and Empress Marie Louise, Duchess of Parma, Marie Louise, d ...
and Simart's statue in the ''cella''
File:Paris Les Invalides Dome Innen Krypta Fußboden 3.jpg, Stone mosaic of the Legion of Honour
The National Order of the Legion of Honour ( ), formerly the Imperial Order of the Legion of Honour (), is the highest and most prestigious French national order of merit, both military and Civil society, civil. Currently consisting of five cl ...
File:Paris Les Invalides Dome Innen Krypta Fußboden 4.jpg, Stone mosaic of the imperial eagle
File:Victoire @ Tomb of Napoléon Bonaparte @ Dome @ Musée de l'Armée @ Les Invalides @ Paris (25493803740).jpg, One of Pradier's victories
File:Memento Marengo.jpg, ''Memento Marengo'' installation by Pascal Convert
Pascal Convert (born 1957) is a French visual artist. He has made sculpture, installations and videos, and has published several books. He is perhaps best known for his monument to the hostages and Resistance fighters who were shot at Mont Valéri ...
above the tomb, 2021
See also
* Equestrian statue of Napoleon
Notes
{{Visitor attractions in Paris
1861 establishments in France
Buildings and structures completed in 1861
Tombs in France
Napoleon
Burial sites of the House of Bonaparte
Napoleon III
Napoleon II
Joseph Bonaparte