New York City has often been on the forefront of architectural ingenuity. Concurrently, many of the City’s notable buildings were inspired by Old World architecture. Presented below, the first part of our series provides a survey of New York City buildings and their French inspirations. The authorities differ on the authenticity of some of these claims, after comparing them let us know what you think.

1. Les Invalides/Grant’s Tomb

Les Invalides is Napoleon’s golden domed Parisian tomb. The building was completed in 1708 as the Eglise du Dome, or the Chapel of Saint-Louis-des-Invalides. The church was designed by  Jules Hardouin Mansart, who was inspired by St. Peter’s Basilica, as a private chapel for Louis IV. In 1840, Napoleon was entombed under the church’s rotunda.

It served as the inspiration for the interior of Grant’s Tomb.