On January 26, 1853, the Municipal
Commission of Paris vote a sum of 600 000
francs gold for the acquisition of a diamond
necklace intended for the Empress Eugenie,
wife of Napoleon III. But the Empress refused
the necklace, wishing that this money would
be used to create an establishment of free
education for poor girls. The architect Hittorff
gave the buildings the form of a necklace.
The inauguration was on December 28, 1856.
The buildings still house the work of the
Empress.
The institution received the name of "House
Eugene Napoleon", in honor of the young
Prince, Louis-Eugène, born the year of the
inauguration, who was killed in southern
Africa in 1879. At first, the work was
entrusted to the sisters of the charity of
Saint-Vincent de Paul, who educated and
equiped poor and orphan girls. In 1974, the
institution took the status of "Eugène
Napoléon Foundation". The sisters retired in
1976. The Foundation continues today, with
modern means, the social educational work
as desired by the Empress Eugénie in 1853.
The organ was built by Cavaillé-Coll in 1857 and
is still in its original state, thus being a really
exceptional witness of the work of Cavaillé-Coll
in those years.
It was last heard in 1946 and has been
neglected since then. It is completely
unplayable.