Napoleon's Last HQ facts for kids
Napoleon's Last HQ (which means Napoleon's Last Headquarters in English) is a museum located in a place called the Ferme du Caillou (Caillou Farm). This farm is in Genappe, Belgium. It's famous because the powerful French leader, Napoleon, stayed there the night before the important Battle of Waterloo on June 18, 1815.
The museum is about 4 kilometers (2.5 miles) south of the famous Lion of Waterloo monument. It's on a road that goes through the Waterloo battlefield, past Waterloo town, and all the way to Brussels.
A Look Back: The Farm's Story
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In 1815, the Caillou Farm belonged to a group called Séance de Caioux. This was the place where Emperor Napoleon spent the night of June 17, just before the big battle.
It's said that Napoleon had breakfast here on the morning of the battle. He told his top military leaders, called marshals, that he didn't think much of the British general, Wellington. He also believed the British soldiers were not very good. Napoleon thought the upcoming battle would be an easy win.
However, the day after the Battle of Waterloo, the Prussian army burned down the farmhouse. They did this to make sure it could never again be a place for their old enemy, Napoleon.
Exploring the Museum Today
Today, the Caillou Farm is a museum. It holds many special items from Napoleon's time. You can see his actual camp bed, which was a simple bed he used during his military campaigns. You can also see the table he used during his travels. These items help visitors imagine what life was like for Napoleon on the eve of his last major battle.
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This is an ossuary (a place for bones) built in 1912. It holds bones found in the fields around the farm.
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A statue of Napoleon made by Luigi di Quintana Bellini Trinchi in 2002.
