What was the cause of Le Corbusier's death?

Le Corbusier died of a heart attack while swimming in the Mediterranean near Roquebrune-Cap-Martin, France, on 27 August 1965.

Born Charles-Édouard Jeanneret in 1887, he became one of the most influential architects of the 20th century. He was 77 when he died, and reports of the circumstances emphasize that he had gone swimming despite medical advice to avoid strenuous exertion.

The answer is sometimes confused with drowning because the death occurred in the sea. Drowning was not the recorded cause: the heart attack happened while he was swimming. His death came while several major projects remained unfinished, including the church of Saint-Pierre in Firminy and planned buildings in Strasbourg and Venice.

His final resting place is in the cemetery at Roquebrune-Cap-Martin, close to the Mediterranean landscape where he spent his last years. The location also reflects his long personal connection with the French Riviera, which influenced his later life and work.