Parisian catacombs - the secret of a forgotten cave. Catacombs of Paris: history, tickets, reviews France underground city

Contacts

Address: 1 Avenue du Colonel Henri Rol-Tanguy, 75014 Paris, France

Telephone: +33 1 43 22 47 63

Opening hours: from 10:00 to 17:00, Mon — closed

Price: 8€, for students – 4€, under 14 years free

Official site: catacombes.paris.fr

How to get there

Metro: Denfert-Rocherea station

Usually Paris is a city of romance, love, fun and good humor, but next to this there are places in the city that can terrify not only tourists, but also many local residents.

One of these places is hidden underground and is called the “Parisian catacombs,” although for someone else it is a mysterious and mysterious place with a rich history and interesting legends.

More than 160 thousand tourists visit this place every year. Catacombs for various data stretch for 180-300 km and occupy a total area of 11 thousand sq.m. In total, about 6 million people rest in the dungeon.

The Catacombs of Paris in France are huge network of caves and tunnels, made by human hands for almost a millennium. The official name of this place is “Municipal Ossuaries”. They belong to local authorities, who are trying with all their might to preserve them in their original form for as long as possible.

Catacombs in Paris - history of appearance

The Parisian catacombs began in the 12th century.

Years, when local stone reserves became insufficient for the construction of cathedrals, churches and royal palaces. Then they started from underground limestone mining. The first place where excavations began was the dungeon under the current one. Over time, the mines expanded and reached the limits of the modern streets of Saint-Jacques, Vaugirard, Saint-Germain, Gobelin, and the Val-de-Grâce hospital. In the 13th century these caves still served wine storage from local monks.

Along with the extraction of limestone, the city expanded, deteriorated, and already in the 17th century there was a threat that the city might collapse underground. The areas of Saint-Victor, Saint-Germain and Saint-Jacques were especially dangerous at that time. In this regard, Louis XVI created the General Inspectorate of Quarries, which continues to perform its original functions today.

During its existence, it carried out the highest quality work to strengthen structures that prevent destruction of the dungeon, although there are some problems in their work. For example, strengthening is carried out by filling the space with concrete, as a result of which gypsum quarries, which are considered historical monuments, disappear. In addition, concreting is not a very durable structure, since groundwater will still erode it over time.

Separately worth mentioning about the ossuary, which is part of the catacombs. This reburial site of Parisian cemeteries, since they began to take up quite a lot of space in the city. Mainly, the remains are kept here from the Cemetery of the Innocents, where the dead from 19 churches were buried, during the period of the bubonic plague and victims of St. Bartholomew's Night. All remains were treated with a special solution and placed in the form of a wall. Now this wall stretches for about 780 meters and terrifies others. In addition, during the laying of this “wall of bones,” the workers laid out decorative mosaics, which are especially scary to look at in a dimly lit dungeon.

Catacombs Museum in Paris

The Catacomb Museum is a fairly popular place. Visitors are not frightened by either the huge number of dead or the depressing atmosphere. According to tourists, visiting the catacombs and ossuary does not cause fear. It’s more of a genuine interest that you want to calm down as quickly as possible. The Catacomb Museum has a number of facts that will be of interest to tourists. Among them it is worth noting the following:

In 1980 it was created police squad, whose function became patrolling the catacombs. This is a kind of sports brigade that makes sure that outside visitors do not go beyond the tourist areas. There will be a price to pay for this violation. fine of 60 euros. But, despite this, there are always lovers of extreme sports and risk, who through sewer hatches or other loopholes penetrate into the forbidden part of the dungeon. However, there are unwritten laws among these guys:

  • do not leave the entrance open;
  • do not paint the walls;
  • do not litter.

Where is the Catacomb Museum in Paris and how to get there

The Catacomb Museum is located underground, the entrance to which is near the station Denfert-Rocherea metro station. To get to the museum, you need to focus on the lion sculpture, since next to it there is a pavilion - the place for the entrance.

Address Parisian catacombs: 1 Avenue du Colonel Henri Rol-Tanguy

Working hours Parisian catacombs: daily from 10.00 to 17.00 except Monday. The last tourists can enter as part of an excursion group at 16.00.

Ticket price to visit the catacombs will cost 8 euros. Price for students below - 4 euros. Entrance for children under 14 years old provided for free, but you must present a document at the entrance that indicates the age of the child.

Catacombs on the square of Paris:

In Paris, in addition to luxurious castles and cozy streets, there is a dark and mysterious place that hides a dark part of the history of France underground. Lovers of unusual sensations are attracted to the city of Darkness - the Catacombs of Paris (Catacombes de Paris).

A little history

At the end of the 10th century, Parisians began underground mining of stone to build the city. Paris expanded, and with it huge voids grew in the quarries underground. In the 18th century, buildings with residents and carts on Rue d'Enfer fell into the ground. This prompted Louis XVI to put an end to uncontrolled underground mining and create a quarry inspectorate, which still exists today. The responsibilities of the inspection include: studying, restoring and filling voids that are dangerous for city buildings. The threat of the collapse of the city has now receded, but increased attention requires areas where the concrete used to fill the caves is washed away by the underground waters of the Seine.

The Paris Catacombs are a network of tunnels and caves beneath the city. They appeared and grew over many centuries. In the catacombs, a museum part and an ossuary are available for inspection.
In the 18th century, the city was not only in danger of going underground: city cemeteries were encroaching on areas of the city, and the remains were poisoning the water and soil. A decision was made: to transfer all the remains to the resulting catacombs and prohibit burial within the city. Thus arose the city of the dead, whose population exceeds the city of the living: b

over 6 million buried from the Merovingian era to the time of the French Revolution. During the work of moving the burials, workers laid out entire mosaics from bones and skulls from various parts of the skeletons (after disinfecting them first) - this is how corridors of skulls and shin bones appeared.

In addition to historical value, the catacombs at different periods of history have performed and continue to perform a practical function:

  • monks in the 13th century stored wine in caves,
  • Napoleon III held meetings and parties here,
  • for the opening of the World Exhibition in 1889, a cafe was opened in the catacombs,
  • during the Second World War, the headquarters of the German army and the French Resistance were located here,
  • Parisians now grow champignons in the humid climate of the catacombs.

Underground Paris

Currently, French law allows you to explore about 2 km of underground caves, their total length is 300 km (most of them on the left bank of the Seine). No more than 200 people can be in the catacombs at the same time, only as part of excursions and only in permitted areas.

Visitors go down a spiral staircase to a depth of 20 meters. The height of the museum ceilings in different places is from 1.8 to 3 meters. The geography of the catacombs follows the streets of Paris; there are signs with the names of the streets of the “upper city”. The labyrinths of the streets of the underground city are complex and confusing, it is easy to get lost here. In the catacombs one can see: monuments, miniature sculptures, historical exhibits, wall paintings, and an ossuary. The work of the quarry inspection is visible from the signs with the dates of the last strengthening work, and marks on the width of the cracks in some places.

A sign above the entrance to the Ossuary warns visitors. However, it turns few people back. The walls of the city of the dead on both sides of the road are made of bones and skulls. In each sector there is a stone tombstone with signs indicating the dates of reburials and the names of the cemeteries. The altar installed in the ossuary served as a supply of fresh air.

For the safety of visitors, the catacombs are patrolled by a special police detachment, which monitors compliance with the boundaries of the permitted inspection zones; violators are fined.

Before visiting the catacombs you should keep in mind:

  • the temperature underground does not rise above +14°C - a sweater will come in handy,
  • the distance of the underground galleries is quite long - you will need comfortable shoes,
  • impressionable people and children should refrain from examining
  • Flash photography inside is prohibited,
  • there are no toilets in the catacombs,
  • bags are inspected upon exit by museum staff.

Paris, like a magic box, offers every traveler a choice of attractions. Masterpieces of architecture, museums and parks are visible, but mysticism and sinister secrets are hidden underground.

Ticket price

  • Adult: 12 €
  • Reduced: 10 €
Updated: 10/11/2016

Most people believe that the most romantic and poetic European city is Paris. The catacombs are not its most famous or popular attraction, but just a small part of the huge multi-level dungeons that stretch more than 300 kilometers below it.

History of appearance

In ancient times, on the site of the modern capital of France, there was a Roman settlement - Lutetia. To build baths, sports arenas and create sculptures, which can still be seen today in the Latin Quarter, local limestone and gypsum began to be mined, and it was then that the first quarries appeared. Over time, Roman Lutetia turned into French Paris, and the ever-growing city required more and more building materials. The quarries not only expanded, but also deepened. In the 12th century, one of the priority areas of French economic development was the extraction of limestone and gypsum. By the 15th century, the quarries had already become two-level, and near the exits special wells equipped with winches were installed to lift huge stone blocks to the surface. By the 17th century, a network of underground tunnels and mines was located under all Parisian streets. Almost the entire city “hovered” over man-made voids.

Problem and solution

In the 18th century, there was a threat that many Parisian streets would collapse and go underground. And after a tragedy occurred in 1774 - part of the street d'Anfer with buildings, people and carts fell into a 30-meter hole - by order of the King of France Louis XVI, a special organization was created - the General Inspectorate of Quarries, which exists and operates today. Its employees are responsible for the state in which the catacombs are located near Paris, the underground tunnels are being strengthened and repaired. Despite all the measures taken, the danger of destruction remains, as the fortifications and foundations of the caves are being undermined.

Modern history

The practical French used dungeons to grow mushrooms, store wines and other products. During World War II, when German troops occupied Paris, the underground catacombs began to be used by both French Resistance fighters and fascists. In the middle of the last century, free access to underground tunnels was prohibited, but cataphiles - lovers of underground Parisian life - even today find the opportunity to get into the catacombs, where they hold parties, paint pictures and create other artistic objects.

The officially permitted and open to all underground level of Paris is the metro and the huge four-story Forum department store, located under the square where the described market used to be located - the “belly of Paris.”

Paris subway

The metro of the French capital is one of the oldest in the world - it is already more than a hundred years old. Its paths are intertwined with electric train lines, and it includes more than 14 lines and 400 medium and shallow stations, connected by winding passages, built on the site of the ancient Parisian catacombs. differs from all the others in its pleasant fragrance. The lobby floors are coated monthly with a special wax that smells like forests and meadows.

How to get into them?

Most tourists enjoy using the Paris metro and visiting the underground giant Forum store, but not everyone traveling in France wants to get into the ancient catacombs of Paris. An excursion into the underground world of the French capital is an event, as they say, “for everyone.” However, you can get to them through a special pavilion, a former customs building, located near the Denfert-Rochereau metro station.

About 2.5 kilometers of underground tunnels and caves are open to tourists. It is forbidden to be in the territory of some places by law, and special police teams patrolling in the catacombs monitor its compliance.

Ossuary

The French underground necropolis lies beneath modern Parisian streets such as Allais, Darais, d'Alembert and Avenue René-Coty, and most who walk along them have no idea what lies beneath. The catacombs of Paris have their own gloomy peculiarity. The history of the Ossuary, or more simply put, the underground cemetery, began in 1780, after the city parliament banned burials within the city. The remains of more than two million people previously laid to rest in Paris's largest Cemetery of the Innocents were removed, disinfected, processed and buried more than 17 meters deep in the abandoned quarries of Tomb-Isoire.

Thus Paris was cleared of burials. The catacombs became the resting place of more than six million people. In 1876, the Parisian Ossuary was founded, consisting of circular galleries with a total length of almost 800 meters. They acquired their modern appearance at the beginning of the 19th century: smooth corridors filled with skulls and bones. The earliest burials, dating back to the Merovingian era, are over 1,000 years old, and the latest were carried out during the French Revolution.

What's there?

Once in Paris, the catacombs and Ossuary are worth visiting in order to appreciate the beauty and romanticism of the French capital in the “contrast” of death and life. In order to get to the necropolis, you will have to go down 130 metal steps of a narrow spiral staircase. Those who suffer from claustrophobia, chronic heart, nervous and pulmonary diseases are better off not going on such an excursion so as not to harm their own health.

In addition to the human remains laid in the wall, at a depth of almost 20 meters you can see an altar installed in a shaft to supply fresh air, bas-reliefs, monuments and sculptures that decorated the burials of past centuries. Almost every sector is marked with a stone tombstone, which indicates the date of reburial of the remains, as well as from which church and cemetery they were transported.

In one of the galleries you can see a well that was previously used to extract the limestone from which Paris was built. The catacombs, or rather, the ceilings and walls of these underground galleries, are “decorated” with the bones and skulls of the dead tightly fitted to each other. In this City of Darkness, as the French themselves call this necropolis, lie the remains of such famous people in their time as Fouquet, Marat and Lavoisier, Robespierre and Charles Perrault, Rabelais and Danton.

And again we are glad to welcome all sincere lovers of the fascinating world of travel! Today we have to go to an unusual place, which can hardly be called a striking landmark or a masterpiece of architecture. And although the final point of our journey is in the very center of beautiful France, the main impression that awaits us all will be a slight feeling of fear. Welcome to the underground world of Paris, to the catacombs.

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This is the question you will all be asking, puzzling over why we should visit this creepy place, about which some of us have heard many scary stories. The thing is that the Parisian catacombs are of both historical and purely tourist interest. Many of us remember the terrible stories that our older comrades told us, sitting around the fire in the twilight, what fear the intricate but absurdly stupid plots inspired! We have grown up and have long treated these pages of our childhood history with humor. But places about which there are many legends and scary stories for adults really exist, and the catacombs in Paris are clear proof of this. So, gather all your courage and go ahead for new, bright impressions!

Story

The word “catacombs” brings to mind thoughts of underground fortifications in which one could wait out a war, natural disaster or any other catastrophe. But the Parisian catacombs had a different purpose. According to sources, one of the first underground parts, called the “cemetery of the Innocents,” appeared under the quarters of modern Paris back in the 11th century. It was here that those who died during the events of the famous St. Bartholomew's Night found their final refuge. Next to the dead lie the remains of victims of the bubonic plague, which once raged throughout Europe.

According to the most conservative estimates, more than 2 million people are buried forever under the French capital. As you understand, such a crazy accumulation of bodies that were carriers of various infections could not be in vain. Soon, local rulers recognized the monstrous danger from the Necropolis and banned burials within Paris.

It was in the 17th century, when the aforementioned ban came out, that another part of the modern catacombs appeared - Ossauri. It was founded in the old quarry of Tomb-Isoire. The dead and deceased, after certain disinfection measures, were removed and stored at a depth of 17 meters. The bones and skulls were sorted, stacked on top of each other. Therefore, even today you can see one of the most terrible, and at the same time unique creations - a real wall of human remains. The second name of Ossauria is the City of Darkness. Today it covers an area of ​​more than 780 meters and consists of several galleries. Each of them contains identical “exhibits” - the remains of people who once lived on French soil.

Later, after the occupation of France by German troops, it was in the catacombs that numerous partisan detachments took refuge.

The Underworld Today

Today, the Parisian catacombs are represented by a whole network of winding tunnels. Basically, these narrow underground corridors appeared thanks to local miners of limestone and other rocks that were used in the construction of palaces and cathedrals. It is impossible to accurately determine the length of all corridors and even the approximate area occupied by the catacombs. According to some estimates, the total length of the tunnels is at least 190-300 km, and the underground area, which is united by “galleries” and grottoes, exceeds 11 thousand square meters.

Although today citizens are no longer buried here, the approximate number of people who have found eternal rest here is more than 6 million.

It's creepy, isn't it? But despite all this, despite the horrors and unconfirmed legends that circulate about this place, every year thousands of tourists from all over the world come to see the underground city of France and touch the amazing world of Necropolis. The average number of visitors reaches 160 thousand annually.

What can you see in the catacombs

If you are ready to touch history and visit, perhaps, the creepiest place in France, then let's get acquainted with what awaits us. It would be wrong to think that apart from bones and pitch darkness, the catacombs of Paris cannot surprise you with anything else. In addition to the remains of the dead, there are many monuments and unusual exhibits located underground. The walls are decorated with drawings, among which one can clearly distinguish the pen of his contemporaries. You can also see here the only landmark thanks to which the workers could find their way into the depths of the quarry. This is the so-called “black line” or “Ariadne’s thread”. After all, electricity was installed here not so long ago.

Although the catacombs boast an impressive history, many of the galleries and tunnels have not changed at all since the days when dozens of workers passed through them every day. In one of the central galleries you can see a real well from which limestone was mined. How many tons of this rock were lifted up and laid as the basis of the royal palaces - it’s impossible to count!

At a depth of several meters>

As soon as you step into this realm of shadows and the dead, you feel how creepy such places can be. It seems that the air was filled with lead, and the gloomy walls forever remained the only witnesses to those terrible events. Only they alone know how many bodies are actually buried here, how much torment and fear people endured before they found themselves in this real kingdom of the dead. A fascinating and creepy sight!

Eternal dampness and a constant feeling of colossal pressure exerted by a more than 20-meter layer of earth above the heads of visitors. This is the real kingdom of Hades, about which the Hellenes have so many legends. Surely, thousands of restless souls ended up forever in this cramped, confined space.

How to get to the catacombs

Getting into the catacombs near Paris today is not difficult. Access to this underground attraction is free and limited only to a small labyrinth. The rest of the underground tunnels are inaccessible to tourists. Such a ban is associated with the necessary safety measures, because getting lost underground is not so difficult, but getting out is much more difficult. There have been cases when fans of unusual extreme sports made their way into the catacombs secretly and disappeared without a trace.

If you want to visit the catacombs, the first place to go is to the Denfert-Rochereau metro station. It is near it that there is a pavilion for entering the underground labyrinths. Today, 2.5 kilometers of underground tunnels are available for tourist walks. Moreover, there is a list of places where it is strictly prohibited to be. Otherwise you will have to deal with the police. In 1980, special police squads were formed to monitor tourists and respond to violations of the aforementioned prohibitions.

Of course, there are often cases when lovers of unusual adventures still penetrate into forbidden areas. According to some of them, it is quite easy to get into the catacombs if you know their location. For example, an inconspicuous sewer hatch or a secluded niche in a metro station can be a real door to the underground kingdom.

The catacombs are located at 1, avenue du Colonel Henri Rol-Tanguy.

Opening hours: open Tuesday-Sunday from 10.00 to 17.00.

Ticket price is 8-10 euros for adults, free for children under 14 years old. Independent visits are prohibited, only as part of an excursion group.

Unusual facts

I bring to your attention several interesting facts and historical events that are directly related to the Parisian catacombs. They will help you learn more about unusual underground tunnels and show off your knowledge among your friends when you find yourself in this unusual and amazing place together.

So, in 1878, a world exhibition was held in Paris. In addition to the fact that everyone was able to enjoy amazing and rare masterpieces of art, they became the first visitors to the Catacombs cafe, which is located in the underground tunnels of Chaillot.

If you have read the novel by the famous Frenchman Victor Hugo called “Les Miserables,” you will probably be interested to know that in the plot he used the knowledge he gained while studying underground labyrinths.

As mentioned earlier, during the Second World War, the underground tunnels of Paris were actively used by representatives of the partisan movement. Since the occupiers were afraid of the terrible labyrinths and did not dare to go in search of citizens who resisted the Nazi regime, in 1944 it was the underground part of the capital that was chosen as their headquarters. Moreover, as historical documents testify, there were only 500 meters from the partisan headquarters to the main Nazi bunker!

One of the most favorite ingredients of French cuisine - champignons - is grown underground. The damp climate allows you to get an excellent harvest of these mushrooms.

In addition, during the years of the “cold” confrontation between the USSR and the USA, some galleries of the catacombs were equipped as bomb shelters.

Use kiwitaxi services and at the airport, at the specified time, a driver will be waiting for you, help with your luggage and promptly take you to the hotel. Several classes of cars are available - from economy to Minibus with 19 seats. The price is fixed and does not depend on the number of passengers and address within Paris. A taxi from/to the airport is a convenient and comfortable way to get to your desired location.

Catacombs of Paris on the map

This is such an unusual and unique place in nature that every thrill-seeker should visit.

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Oh Paris! The epicenter of love, a storehouse of romance and impressions, the capital of feelings, glorified by Victor Hugo. Not all visitors know that Paris, the city of love and warm feelings, stands on the bones of seven million people. About two hundred years ago, when there were no more places to bury the dead, the king ordered all the bodies to be dug up and dumped in a limestone pit near the city. Subsequently, this gross unsanitary condition became the cause of terrible diseases and new deaths.
Then everyone who wanted to escort their loved ones into another world with dignity began building crypts, eventually united into huge underground corridors lined with the bones of dead people. This is how the well-known Parisian catacombs appeared. From then until today, the capital of France stands on the largest mass grave in human history.

But Paris was not always as bright and colorful as it is now. Imagine that at the beginning of the 19th century this city was quite dark and even uncomfortable. Remember Eugene Sue’s novel “Parisian Secrets”; when reading it, we are clearly perplexed as to whether this is a description of the now so beloved and praised Paris. It can’t be, you say.
But everything was in reality and Eugene Sue described the realities of that time. “A labyrinth of dark, narrow, winding streets” where houses stood “the same color as dirt” and “worm-eaten frames.” A description that paints a completely different picture of the city.
The streets of the city looked more like slums, and there was running water in only one of the five buildings in the city. Due to unsanitary conditions, it was the Parisians themselves who suffered primarily; there were often cholera epidemics in the city, which claimed more than one life of local residents.
Everything changed after Emperor Napoleon III came to power; he sincerely loved the city and more than once said that “Paris is the heart of France.” Baron Haussmann, the architect to whom Paris owes its current appearance, came to his aid. Haussmann carried out a lot of reforms, thanks to which slums disappeared from the “city map”; beautiful boulevards with tall buildings took their place, beautiful parks and wide highways appeared.
The “cradle” of Paris, the Ile de la Cité, has also undergone changes. At that time, the Ile de la Cité was one of the most unsafe areas of the city, where crime, theft and prostitution were the rightful masters of the island. Everything changed with the arrival of Haussmann, he demolished all the old houses and churches, and the first police station appeared here, ensuring order in the area.
Thanks to Baron Haussmann, Paris “acquired” 64 new streets, more than 40 thousand buildings, and 585 km of sewer lines were built.
The city was completely transformed, now Paris was unrecognizable. Every day more and more new streets and neighborhoods appeared. It was to Haussmann that Paris owed the appearance of Rivoli Street, Strasbourg Boulevard, Sevastopol Boulevard, Richard Lenoir Boulevard and Magenta Boulevard. Star Square, from which the streets extend into 12 avenues, Opera Square, Italy Square are also the creations of the architect Haussmann.
"Stop! This place is an empire of death." These words are inscribed on a special granite tablet at the entrance to the Paris Catacombs - an underground passage in which the bones of 6 million people were discovered. The reconstruction, which lasted four months, cost the city $400 thousand. And although the total length of the catacombs is about 300 km, a section of just over 1.5 km is open to tourists. Now the most fearless of tourists will be able to make an eerie and scary journey through the damp corridors of the catacombs, where piles of human bones and skulls lie on the sides. The origin of the catacombs is associated with the period of construction of Paris: it was from here that stone blocks were mined and used for the construction of houses, palaces and paving streets. Later, in the 18th and 19th centuries, the deep, wide passages were filled with human remains, moved here to relieve overcrowded urban and suburban cemeteries. Under the ground, under the endless stream of cars and pedestrians, hide hundreds of kilometers of mysterious galleries and hundreds of cubic meters of bones and skulls mixed with concrete.
The entrance to the City of Darkness is located at Place Denfert-Rochereau and is always open to visitors who want to look at the endless rows of neatly arranged human bones. And I must say that after the Eiffel Tower, the Louvre and Notre Dame Cathedral, this is the most visited place in Paris. The Parisian catacombs are a heritage of antiquity. Already in Antiquity, limestone and gypsum were mined in open pits on the banks of the Seine. Industrial development of underground resources began in the 12th century. The first limestone was mined under the territory of the modern Luxembourg Gardens. It is from it that, for example, the Louvre, Sainte-Chapelle and Notre-Dame Cathedral were built. So there were always people wandering around Paris, some on some business, some out of idle curiosity. The reputation of the Parisian catacombs is far from the best. By the 17th century, the lands containing the former quarries found themselves within the boundaries of Paris, and a significant part of its residential areas were actually built above the void. In April 1777, King Louis XVI issued a special Decree establishing the General Inspectorate of Quarries. This Inspectorate still exists today. At the intersections of the underground galleries, signs were hung with the names of the streets passing above; under the most significant, religiously and socially, buildings on the walls of the underground galleries, the symbol of the French monarchy - the lily flower - was embossed.
Almost at the same time when the famous Inspectorate was created, the Parisian quarries, having received another, new purpose, acquired a new name - the Cities of Darkness. In the Middle Ages, the high mortality rate caused all the cemeteries located within Paris to become extremely overcrowded. For example, in the Cemetery of the Innocents, which had been in operation since the 11th century and was located just a few hundred meters from the Louvre, the surface level inside the cemetery fence was 6 meters higher than the level of the sidewalks of all adjacent streets.
In 1785, the Council of State decided to move the Cemetery of the Innocents to the former quarries of Tomb Issoire, located outside the city limits. The underground “afterlife mansions” had to be equipped accordingly - they had to be decorated with Christian symbols and phrases appropriate to the moment, reminding possible visitors of the decay and vanity of life and the greatness and inevitability of death.
Over time, the catacombs contained the remains of figures of the royal era: the ministers of Louis XIV - Fouquet and Colbert. After the Restoration of the monarchy, the remains of Danton, Lavoisier and Robespierre were transferred from the Erransis cemetery, and from Saint-Etienne-du-Mont - Marat. The bones of the storyteller Charles Perrault moved here from the Saint-Benoit cemetery. The literary world is “represented” in the dungeons by the bones of Rabelais (previously buried in the monastery of Augustine), as well as Racine and Blaise Pascal (they were previously buried in Saint-Etienne-du-Mont).
In addition to preserving the mortal remains of the ancestors of the inhabitants of the capital, Parisian quarries were also used for many other, more prosaic purposes. Since 1814, next to the bones, magnificent champignons have been grown in them, beer has been brewed, wine has been stored, and exotic cafes have been set up.
Today, Parisian underground galleries are a meeting place for people who call themselves cataphiles. These are people passionate about the history of underground Paris, preserving its heritage and traditions. Unlike the first “regulars” of the underworld, today’s cataphiles have precise plans and are perfectly oriented in the area. They have their own rituals and traditions. For example, every self-respecting cataphile regularly writes so-called “treatises”. As a rule, these are small messages, often in the form of comics, calling for respect and protection of the catacombs, telling some funny stories from the life of the author or even his abstract philosophical reflections. Usually the cataphile makes several copies of each treatise, which he then hides in secluded places in the underground galleries. The found “works” are very serious collectibles.

 

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