Lantern of the Dome

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Lantern of the dome, Saint-Louis des Invalides
Avenue de Tourville
Quartier des Invalides, 7th arrondissement
Paris, July 2012

“Shortly after the veterans' chapel was completed, Louis XIV constructed a separate private royal chapel, which was named ‘Église du Dôme’. The architect for the dome was Jules Hardouin-Mansart and the royal chapel stood finished 1706, in which it was inaugurated by the king himself. The royal chapel is considered one of the very finest examples of French Baroque architecture. The dome itself was inspired by the origin of all Baroque domes; the dome of the grand St. Peters Basilica in Rome. The Église du Dôme has in turn been the inspiration for several other buildings, including the San Francisco City Hall. In 1989 during the 200th anniversary of the French Revolution, the dome itself was regilded for the 5th time since its creation. During the process, a large number of thin gold leaves were used. The total weight equaled around ten kilos pure gold.” (Les Invalides - Dome, World Site Guides)