The Hôtel National des Invalides is one of the most important monuments in Paris. Its golden dome is an eye-catcher and a landmark for Parisians and tourists alike. The dome is topped by a golden lantern and a slender spire ending in a cross. The Dôme church reaches 107 metres: it remained the highest monument in Paris until the construction of the Eiffel Tower in 1889. The total surface area of the Invalides is about 13 hectares, divided between the buildings and the fifteen courtyards. In the 17th century, the large esplanade in front of the Hôtel was cultivated by the old soldiers boarding at the hospice.