École Militaire facts for kids
Quick facts for kids École Militaire |
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Central École militaire building
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| General information | |
| Type | Educational building complex, military academy |
| Address | 1 Place de Joffre, 75007 |
| Town or city | Paris, Île-de-France |
| Country | France |
| Coordinates | 48°51′09″N 2°18′13″E / 48.85250°N 2.30361°E |
| Current tenants | Military academy |
| Completed | 1751 |
| Design and construction | |
| Architect | Ange-Jacques Gabriel |
The École Militaire (which means "military school" in French) is a group of buildings in Paris, France. It is home to different places where military training happens. King Louis XV started this school in 1751. You can find it in the 7th arrondissement of Paris, which is southeast of the famous Champ de Mars.
This important building was designed by Ange-Jacques Gabriel. It is still an active military academy today. Since 1990, it has been recognized as a national monument. You can even visit this historical site during the European Heritage Days.
Contents
History of the Military School
How the School Began
The École Militaire was founded in 1750. This happened after a big conflict called the War of the Austrian Succession. King Louis XV created it based on an idea from Marshal Maurice de Saxe. He also had help from Madame de Pompadour and a financier named Joseph Paris Duverney.
Before this, military schools were mostly for children from rich, noble families. They often learned skills in the King's Stables. The new École Militaire changed this. Its goal was to create a school for young officers from noble families who were not wealthy. This made military education more open.
In January 1751, King Louis XV officially set up the school. He wanted to educate 500 young noblemen who did not have a lot of money. To pay for it, a tax was put on playing cards. The Secretary of State for War was in charge of running the school. The Royal Military Academy also included smaller military schools in other parts of France. One famous one was the School of Brienne. Students there had to prove their noble background to get in. After finishing at these smaller schools, students could try to get into the Royal Military School in Paris through a national competition.
Building Design by Ange-Jacques Gabriel
King Louis XV asked Ange-Jacques Gabriel to design a building. The King wanted it to be even grander than the Hôtel des Invalides. That building was built by Louis XIV. Gabriel started construction in 1752 on a farm in Grenelle.
After many years of building, the school finally opened in 1760. Gabriel created a huge area with beautiful walls and a system for water. This system used wells and pipes. The whole complex was indeed much bigger and more impressive than the Invalides.
In 1777, the Comte de Saint-Germain reorganized the school. He renamed it the École des Cadets-gentilshommes, which means "School of Young Gentlemen." This is where a young Napoleon Bonaparte was accepted in 1784. Napoleon finished his studies there in just one year. Usually, students took two years to graduate.
What the School Includes Today
Today, the École Militaire complex includes several important institutions:
- The Saint-Louis Chapel, Paris, a beautiful chapel.
- The École de guerre (EdG), which is the School of Warfare.
- The Ecole de Guerre-Terre (EdG-T), which is the School of Land Warfare.
- The Institut des hautes études de défense nationale, an institute for advanced studies in national defense.
Images for kids
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École Militaire from the Place de Fontenoy
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Saint-Louis Chapel
See also
