Catacombes on Place Denfert-Rochereau
The Catacombes are the vast underground necropolis of Paris.
They house more than six million skeletons recovered from the parish cemeteries of Paris when they were decommissioned at the beginning of the 19th century.
The entrance is located in one of the buildings on Place Denfert-Rochereau, which was once part of the toll gate of the Wall of the General Farmers, the fiscal enclosure built around Paris in the 1780s.
This square, which was called Place d’Enfer (Hell Square) before the French Revolution, replaces the Barrière d’Enfer (Hell Gate), one of the toll gates of the Wall of the Farmers General.
This gate, designed by the architect Claude Nicolas Ledoux, features two square buildings, still standing and listed as historical monuments. One serves as the entrance to the Catacombes.
Why store skeletons in the underground of Paris?
Paris was founded on the Ile de la Cité by the Gallic tribe of the Parisii about 2,400 years ago.
Over the centuries, the city gradually expanded along both banks of the River Seine, growing from small villages to bustling neighbourhoods by the 18th century.
With the growth of Paris, its cemeteries also expanded. Formerly located outside the city limits, they found themselves in the heart of residential and industrial areas, resulting in overcrowding and serious health issues.
The Cimetière des Innocents, near Les Halles, had been in use since the 10th century and was not only the oldest cemetery in Paris, but also the largest.
Faced with the urgency of the situation, the Council of State ordered the cemetery closed in 1780 to prevent the spread of epidemics.
The bones were transferred to old underground quarries located near the former Barrière d’Enfer, then situated on the southern outskirts of the city, a sparsely populated area at the time.
The Catacombes were officially blessed and consecrated in 1786.
Over the following years, they received more than six million skeletons, the remains of generations of Parisians.
They also received the remains of people who perished between 1788 and 1792 (French Revolution).
They were enlarged and restored between 1810 and 1811 to open them to the public. Indeed, funerary tourism was booming!
Catacombes, the resting place of 6 million Parisians
To create a less sombre atmosphere and offer a different perspective on the concept of death, the bones were arranged in symmetrical and decorative patterns, highlighting skulls, tibias, and femurs in complex compositions unique to each crypt.
The bones from the Errancis Cemetery were also transferred to the Catacombes under the Bourbon Restoration.
The revolutionaries had hastily opened this cemetery near Parc Monceau to bury the 1,119 people they had guillotined during the Revolution!
Among these remains were those of revolutionaries Danton and Robespierre, as well as those of Madame Élisabeth, sister of Louis XVI.
The Madeleine and Saint-Jacques-du-Haut-Pas cemeteries were the last Parisian cemeteries to close in 1850.
Stop, Here starts the World of the Dead
A 90-step stone spiral staircase leads you to the underground necropolis.
“Arrête, c’est ici l’Empire de la Mort” – “Stop, this is the Empire of Death.”
This line from the poet Jacques Delille (1738-1813) adorns the lintel of the ossuary’s entrance, welcoming you to the Kingdom of the Dead.
Once you cross this threshold, you will discover not only crypts filled with bones but also various funerary monuments and unusual objects, contributing to the eerie atmosphere of the Catacombes.
The bones from each cemetery were meticulously grouped in separate crypts.
Poems and dedications to the Dead
The workers who adapted the galleries in the early 19th century left their mark by engraving inscriptions and poems on the walls, likely inviting visitors to reflect on the theme of death.
A small circular basin, the Fontaine de Léthé, also known as Fontaine de la Samaritaine, is adorned with engraved verses from the Gospels.
The Autel de l’Obélisque (Obelisk Altar), in the Sacellum Crypt, evokes an ancient tomb.
The Crypte du Piedestal de la Lampe Sépulcrale (Crypt of the Pedestal of the Sepulchral Lamp), which houses the bones from the Cemetery of Saint-Laurent, was the first monument built in the Catacombes.
The Sarcophage du Lacrymatoire, shaped like a burial vault, serves as a reinforcing pillar and as a symbol of mortality.
This monument is also known as Tombeau de Gilbert, in homage to the verses composed by Nicolas Gilbert just a week before his death:
“Au banquet de la vie, infortuné convive – At life’s banquet, unfortunate guest,
J’apparus un jour et je meurs; – I appeared one day, and I die;
Et sur ma tombe où lentement j’arrive, – And on my tomb, where I slowly arrive,
Nul ne viendra verser des pleurs” – No one will come to shed tears.
Surprisingly, the poet was not buried in the Catacombes.
Fortress of Fort-Mahon
Along the galleries, you will also discover a well, patiently dug by the workers who once toiled in the underground quarries. Its turquoise water contrasts strikingly with the surrounding darkness.
However, the most famous feature of the Catacombes is undoubtedly the model of the Fort-Mahon fortress. Sculpted by Décure, known as Beauséjour, between 1777 and 1782, this remarkable work of art is renowned for its exquisite detail and historical significance.
Décure was a veteran who served under Louis XV. He contributed to the consolidation and transformation of the underground quarries during the creation of the Catacombes.
Sadly, he died when the vault of the gallery where he was working collapsed. He had, however, completed his masterpiece, which secured his posthumous fame.
Sinkholes
Upon leaving the Catacombes, you will pass through two impressive sinkholes, one 11 metres deep and the other 12 metres. These are the result of collapses in the upper layers of the galleries.
They offer a glimpse of the void upon which the houses of Paris are built and bear witness to the city’s complex underground network!
Do not worry though, as despite their imposing appearance, these sinkholes have been well reinforced and are under constant surveillance to ensure visitor safety.
While the Catacombes have never ceased to fascinate crowds since their opening, it must be admitted that this experience may not be suitable for everyone. Some claustrophobic or sensitive individuals may be affected by the darkness of the galleries and the sight of millions of skulls and bones.
Therefore, it is essential to consider your own comfort level before visiting the Catacombes of Paris.
Please note that photos are permitted, but without the flash for the comfort and respect of the “residents”.
Directions: 14th district – no2 Place Denfert-Rochereau
Metro: Denfert-Rochereau on Lines 4,6 and RER B
Coordinates: Lat 48.833876 – Long 2.332358
