Aura Invalides (entrée place Vauban)

You are approaching the Dôme des Invalides, a structure originally commissioned by King Louis XIV in 1670. While it is famous today for its golden dome, it began its life as a hospital and retirement home for war veterans who had been injured or disabled in service. Architect Libéral Bruant designed the complex to house as many as four thousand soldiers, providing them with medical care and a dedicated place of residence. The site served as a physical expression of royal gratitude and a central fixture of the monarch's military legacy.