Cemeteries. There's something about them that makes the hair on your head stand out, and for many of us, cemeteries are some of the creepiest and most forbidden places on the planet. What could be scarier than an ordinary cemetery? What do you say about the one that contains the remains of millions of Parisians and is located directly under the capital of France? Yes exactly.
For a city that is known for its love of fashion, romance and culture, Paris certainly hides beneath its streets dark secret. These little known facts the vast catacombs of Paris will leave you completely bewildered.
10. The remains of more than six million Parisians are kept here
In the 18th century, the cemeteries of the ever-growing city of Paris ran out of space. As if this were not enough, some bodies were not buried properly and caused the disease to spread. Ultimately, Parisian officials decided to ban cemeteries within the city limits and move the remains they contained elsewhere.
Officials noted several underground quarries cities. Between the 1780s and 1814, authorities were able to organize the underground transportation of more than six million bodies collected from all existing cemeteries in Paris, transporting the dead using carts and placing them in their final resting place.
9. They're bigger than you think
Photo: Deror Avi
While the remains of six million people are scattered throughout the tunnels, most were placed in burial chambers known as ossuaries, where tours are often conducted. The fact is that there are more tunnels in the catacombs. They were made by Parisian miners who worked in the quarry before some of the catacombs were used as a cemetery.
Although it is believed that there are approximately 320 kilometers of tunnels, not all of them have been mapped and the rest remain uncharted territory. This makes you wonder what else might be hiding in these tunnels.
8. The Roamers turned the catacombs into a secret swimming spot.
Photo: Messy Nessy Chic
Apparently the idea of going to the local pool (or visiting a friend who has a pool) isn't satisfying enough for some people. Instead, they travel into the depths of the catacombs to cool off in some secret, unexplored pools that have become known among other catacomb enthusiasts as makeshift pools.
Of course, you'll need connections to get there. They say you'll also have to wade through murky waters and potentially claustrophobic tunnels before reaching the "oasis" that... in this case is a pit of water located in a giant underground cemetery.
7. Unknown groups they do strange things here
In 2004, police conducting exercises in the catacombs stumbled upon something completely unexpected. Exploring the remote expanse of the vast tunnel system, they discovered a gigantic, fully equipped movie theater with a screen, all the necessities, a restaurant and bar, and professionally installed telephone and power lines. Even more creepy was the fact that the hidden camera took photos of the police as they entered the hall.
No one knows who did it, but a note was left at the scene that said, "Don't try to find us." This is probably not the best design for a cinema or a restaurant, but this space can also be put to good use, right?
6. Stream of corpses
The most popular place in Paris to bury the dead (before they decided to use the catacombs for this) was Les Innocents - the oldest and most frequently used city cemetery. However, there was one problem with it: as mentioned above, to early XVIII centuries, so many people were buried on it that it overflowed. People living in the neighborhood began to complain about the pungent smell of decay that spread throughout the city.
To say “it was overcrowded” is an understatement, because when the cemetery was filled with water due to the flood, bodies began to rise from the ground to the surface. During the 1780s, people began to exhume bodies from all the old cemeteries and bury them in what we now call catacombs, and the rest is history.
5. Cataphiles create communities inside tunnels
Photo: Claire Narkissos
The Cataphiles are a group of urban explorers who tend to spend enormous amounts of time in the depths of the catacombs for their own pleasure and adventure. While their name may sound like a modern cult, they have a deep respect for both the dead and the tunnels, and create maps to keep people from getting lost in the vast necropolis.
They are insiders, and information on how to access the catacombs is kept within the close-knit group. Cataphiles have been creating their own community inside old quarries and tunnels for many years. Some people paint pictures here, decorate rooms, or have parties with other inhabitants of the tunnels, and some visit them simply to take a break from the outside world.
4. Vintage wine was once stolen here
It turns out that in addition to bones, rot and death, there is also some pretty good wine in the depths of the catacombs. At least that was the case in 2017.
Gang French thieves drilled through the limestone walls of the catacombs and entered the adjacent vault, which was located under the apartment and contained about 300 bottles of vintage wine. The thieves escaped with all the wine worth €250,000.
3. Bones are collected in “decorative displays”
Photo: Shadowgate
When bones of the dead first began to be carted into the catacombs in the 1780s, they were simply left in the tunnels (after the priest said a prayer for the dead to rest in peace). Workers began arranging the old ones into shapes and compositions such as hearts and circles, and lining the walls with skulls and various other grisly remains.
One of the most iconic compositions is known as the Barrel. It consists of a large round pillar surrounded by skulls and tibias and simultaneously serves as a support for the ceiling of the room where it is located, which is called the Crypt of the Passion or the Rotunda of the Tibia. The barrel is a little geekier than a traditional prop, but if it does the job, there's no question.
2. Farmers began using the catacombs to grow mushrooms 
Photo: Messy Nessy Chic
This practice began in the 19th century, when a Parisian named Monsieur Chambery ventured down into the tunnels and saw a scattering of wild mushrooms growing underground. He decided to use the abandoned tunnels to grow his own champignons de Paris (aka champignons), which was eventually accepted and approved by the Horticultural Society of Paris.
Soon farmers began to flock here from all over to establish their own farms. Growing mushrooms in the catacombs has become a thriving business enterprise. In fact, if you know where to look, you can probably find some farmers still growing mushrooms there for their souls. This makes sense given the darkness and humidity that prevails there. Who knows, perhaps the old bones lying nearby also served as a kind of fertilizer for the mushrooms.
1. During World War II, the catacombs were used by both sides 
Photo: 28DaysLater.co.uk
Since the existence of the catacombs was common knowledge during World War II, and since they extend for many kilometers underground, it is not surprising that they were used during the fighting. What may surprise you is that they were used by both sides.
Members of the French Resistance actively used the underground tunnel system during the war to hide and plan attacks on the Germans. The catacombs guaranteed that they would not be noticed german spies and will not be detected by enemies.
What's even more shocking is that the Nazis were also present in the catacombs and built various bunkers (such as one under high school Lycee Montaigne). The remains of this bunker can still be seen today.
They have long been the object of close attention both from local residents and from numerous travelers. What attracts such a huge number of visitors here every year? As a rule, this is a desire to get acquainted with the history of a great city. Although it's no secret that sometimes in Paris catacombs extreme sports enthusiasts or adventure seekers go. These places are actually shrouded in mystery and mystery, and many more questions will need years and years of research to answer.
This article is aimed at telling about such an interesting and rather unknown object in the French capital as the dead. The reader will learn details that, as a rule, even the most experienced guides do not tell tourists.
Section 1. General Description
The catacombs, which stretch under the capital of France, are a system of tunnels that appeared under the city in the distant past.
The mysterious underground galleries are more than three hundred kilometers long. Historians believe that the ancient quarries arose as a result of the extraction of materials necessary for the construction of palaces and cathedrals in the city during the Middle Ages. Later, the dungeon became a grave for many people and turned into a huge cemetery. The number of Parisians buried here exceeds the current population of the French capital.
Even during antiquity, the Romans mined limestone in these places, but the mines were open type. Gradually, as the city grew, the number of such manufactories increased. The main part of the tunnels appeared during the times French king Philip Augustus, who reigned from 1180-1223, when limestone was used to build protective ramparts.
Section 2. Parisian catacombs. History of origin
total area underground tunnels, formed during the development of limestone, is approximately 11 thousand square meters. m.
The first underground mining of limestone began under Louis XI, who gave the lands of the castle of Vauvert for this purpose. During the Renaissance they grew rapidly, and by the 17th century. The underground Parisian catacombs, photos of which can now be found in almost all guidebooks dedicated to the French capital, ended up within the city limits, which led to risk on the streets.
In 1777, the king created an inspectorate to inspect quarries, which is still in effect today. For 200 years, workers at this institution have been working to strengthen and prevent collapses in the underground. Many mines have been filled with concrete, but the fortifications are gradually being eroded groundwater Seine, and the danger of landslides remains.
Section 3. Brief historical background
The history of the Parisian catacombs is directly related to the life of the townspeople. How? We suggest you familiarize yourself with several facts:
- During the World Exhibition in Paris (in 1878), the Catacombs cafe was opened in the underground galleries of Chaillot. Many confidently claim that it is simply impossible not to visit this place.
- In the dungeons of the capital, champignons are grown, which are a favorite product in national cuisine France.
- The famous writer Victor Hugo created the greatest epic novel, Les Miserables, the plot of which is closely connected with the underworld of Paris.
- During World War II, the quarries were used by leaders of the French Resistance. In the summer of 1944, a headquarters was established there, which was located just 500 meters from secret bunker fascists.
- In the era cold war and the threat of a nuclear attack, some underground tunnels were converted into bomb shelters.
- "Parisian Catacombs" is a film, one of the few that was not filmed on film set, but directly in the dungeons themselves.
Section 4. What is an Ossuary?
In the Middle Age Catholic Church Burials near churches, most of which were located in cities, were not prohibited. More than two million people are buried in the Cemetery of the Innocents, the largest in Paris. The remains of not only ordinary parishioners are buried there, but also people who died during the plague epidemic and died in the massacre. Hundreds of unidentified bodies are also buried in the cemetery.
Not everyone knows that often the graves reached a depth of 10 meters, and the mound of earth increased to 3 meters.
It is not surprising that the city cemetery subsequently became a source of infection, and in 1763 parliament banned mass graves in the city. In 1780, after the collapse of the wall separating the churchyard from the city area, the cemetery was completely closed, and no one else was buried within Paris.
For a long time, the remains, after disinfection, were taken to the underground quarries of Tomb-Isoire. Workers laid bones at a depth of more than 17 meters, resulting in a wall and almost 780 meters of galleries with the remains of the dead, which were located in a circle. So in the Parisian catacombs in 1786 the Ossuary was founded. About six million people found peace here, including many famous personalities, but even more - unknown to anyone.
Section 5. Paris catacombs today
According to tourists, when you get into the Ossuary, you don’t even notice that you are at a depth of 20 meters. Here you can see wall paintings from the 18th century, various monuments and historical exhibits, and an altar located in an air supply shaft.
Guests and local residents claim that by paying close attention to the ceiling, you can notice a black line - “Ariadne’s thread”, which helped not to get lost in the galleries in the past, when there was no electricity. Now in the dungeon there are still places that have not changed since then: monuments and bas-reliefs installed on burial sites of past centuries; well for limestone extraction; support pillars for the vault.
In general, it should be noted that the Parisian catacombs (2014 is another confirmation of this) are becoming an increasingly popular attraction in the French capital.
Section 6. How to get inside
The entrance to the Parisian catacombs is located next to the Denfert-Rochereau metro station. Landmark - The catacombs are open daily (except Mondays) from 10.00 to 17.00. The cost of the excursion is 8-10 euros (children under 14 years old are free).
By the way, experienced travelers advise paying attention to the fact that individual visits are prohibited.
Currently, 2.5 kilometers of galleries are available to visitors. There are also closed areas that are dangerous to visit. In November 1955, a law was specifically issued in Paris prohibiting stay in these places. And since 1980, compliance with these rules has been monitored separate brigades police.
Section 7. The dangers of illegal visits
Despite all the prohibitions, there are lovers thrills who, risking their lives, illegally enter the underground through sewer hatches, metro stations, etc.
Underground galleries with narrow and low labyrinths have complex passages where it is easy to get lost. So, in 1793, the watchman of the Val-de-Grâce church tried to find ancient wine cellars in the quarries, but got lost. His remains were found only many years later, the poor fellow was identified by the keys and remaining clothes.
There are also many modern “heroes”, but the local police are doing everything possible to prevent such would-be travelers from entering.
This country actually has a lot of interesting things: the Eiffel Tower, the Louvre, amazing ancient cities, the ocean, endless fields of vineyards, the Parisian catacombs... France, however, should be remembered exclusively positive points and joyful moments. Anyone who has already managed to visit the mentioned object is ready to dissuade you from committing a rash act.
In Paris, in addition to luxurious castles and cozy streets, there is a dark and mysterious place that hides dark part 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 stone for city construction. 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. While working to move the graves, workers laid out entire mosaics from bones and skulls. various parts skeletons (after disinfection) - this is how corridors of skulls and shin bones appeared.
In addition to the historical value, the catacombs in different periods stories 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, headquarters were located here German army and the French Resistance,
- Parisians now grow humid climate catacombs champignons.
Underground Paris
Currently, French law allows you to explore about 2 km of underground caves, their total length is 300 km ( most of 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.
By spiral staircase visitors descend to a depth of 20 meters. The height of the museum ceilings is different places– 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”. Labyrinths of streets underground city– are complex and confusing, it’s 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. Walls cities of the dead on both sides of the road are lined with 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 special squad police, who monitor compliance with the boundaries of 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.
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 Have a good mood, but next to this in the city there are places 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 total area V 11 thousand sq.m. In the dungeon total about 6 million people are buried.
The Catacombs of Paris in France are huge network of caves and tunnels, made by human hands for almost a millennium. Official name of this place - "Municipal Ossuaries". They belong local authorities, who are trying with all their might to preserve them in their original form for longer.
Catacombs in Paris - history of appearance
The Parisian catacombs began in the 12th century.
Letiya, 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. Due to this Louis XVI created the General Inspectorate of Quarries, which continues to perform its original functions today.
During its existence, it spent the maximum 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 The groundwater it gets washed away over time anyway.
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. Basically, the remains from the Cemetery of the Innocents, where the dead from 19 churches were buried, were kept here during the period of the bubonic plague and the 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 enter a 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 Paris 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:
What do the dark Parisian dungeons hide - the catacombs of Paris. Old secrets, intricate passages, darkness and a sea of gothic romance underground.
“Stop! Here is the kingdom of Death” - this is the inscription that greets the guests of the dungeon. A shiver runs down to the core from the mere fact that around in the catacombs the remains of six million people found their final refuge. When we're talking about about millions, your brain refuses to understand the scale of what is happening, but you can help it. Imagine that all the residents large metropolis, St. Petersburg, for example, suddenly died at once and were buried in one place. Now you understand where you are. There is only death around you and a strong taste of dampness on your tongue. Welcome to dark side Paris, in which there is no place for romance, fun and an idle lifestyle.
History of the catacombs
The network of winding underground tunnels and caves beneath Paris was created by its inhabitants. It was they who built stone and limestone mines on the outskirts of their city. The first underground quarries were located under Luxembourg Gardens. But the city grew, and with it the need for building materials. This led to the expansion of the network of underground tunnels, which, according to various estimates, ranged from 187 to 300 kilometers. The rocks extracted from these underground galleries were used for the most ambitious construction projects in Paris. Among the most famous buildings are the Louvre, the Cathedral Notre Dame of Paris and the chapel of Sainte-Chapelle.
There were also alternative ways use of quarries. So in the 13th century the monks adapted some galleries for wine cellars.
The growth of the city led to the fact that by the 17th century, a significant part of Paris “hung” over the abyss. Landfalls began to occur. In order to prevent this problem, in 1777 Louis XVI established the General Inspectorate of Quarries, which continues to operate to this day.
The inspection is engaged in drawing up the most detailed plan underground passages, tries to correlate them with streets slightly higher and identifies the most dangerous places. The method of strengthening was quite simple at first. Potentially dangerous areas of the quarries were simply filled with concrete. This measure solved the problem, although only temporarily. Because the waters of the Seine found a workaround and continued their “subversive” activities.
History of the cemetery
In the Middle Ages, it was customary to bury people in cemeteries adjacent to churches. This was strongly encouraged by the clergy, since the priests received a substantial income for performing funeral services for the dead and burying them in the nearest cemetery. I must say that this is not in the best possible way influenced the sanitary situation, since the churches were located directly in the city. The situation was worst in the Cemetery of the Innocents. Since the 11th century, bodies from all over Paris were brought there in huge quantities. As a result, more than two million people found peace in mass graves. Among them were parishioners of 19 churches, at least 50 thousand victims of the bubonic plague of 1418 who died in St. Bartholomew's Night in 1572 and many others.
Some graves reached a depth of 10 meters and contained the remains of one and a half thousand people. Naturally, this could not continue indefinitely. One day in 1780, the wall separating the cemetery from the neighboring Rue de la Langrie collapsed. A huge amount of bones and sewage fell out. It has become the last straw. The Cemetery of the Innocents was closed. Burials within the city were generally prohibited. In 1785, an operation began to clear the cemetery and transfer the remains to the abandoned quarries. The process lasted 15 months and was successfully completed, after which other mass grave sites began to be cleaned.
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The story of the unlucky watchman of the Val-de-Grâce church is widely known. His name was Philibert Asper. He tried to explore the catacombs in search of other people's wine cellars. One day, it was in 1793, he got lost in this labyrinth and could not find a way out. His skeleton was discovered only 11 years later, after identification of keys and clothes.
In 1810, the General Inspectorate of the Catacombs decorated the remains in the form of a wall of neatly arranged shin bones and decorated with skulls. The rest of the bones were simply piled in the back. This is exactly the picture that tourists see today.Under Napoleon III, partial electrification of the underground was carried out. And all because he loved to tickle the nerves of himself and his guests by conducting important meetings in dungeons.
During the Paris World Exhibition of 1878, a cafe called “Catacombs” was opened in the underground galleries of Chaillot. But it has not survived to this day.
The Parisian catacombs played a curious prank on the Germans during World War II. A top-secret German army bunker was located in one of the quarries. And just 500 meters away was the headquarters of the leaders of the Resistance movement, which was never discovered.
It is curious that among the 6 million people buried in the catacombs, there are many outstanding historical characters. For example, famous politician Jean Baptiste Colbert, figures french revolution Maximilian Robespierre and Georges-Jacques Danton. In addition, in the dark galleries lie the remains of such literary geniuses as Charles Perrault and Francois Rabelais, as well as the great scientists Antoine Lavoisier and Blaise Pascal.
Catacombs now
Now in the catacombs you can meet 5 types of people. Firstly, these are employees of the same inspectorate who monitor the condition underground passages and eliminate emerging emergency areas. Secondly, these are the employees of the museum complex of the Parisian catacombs. They support the work of the museum and make sure that there are no more than 200 people in the dungeons at the same time.
Thirdly, these are the elusive cataphiles - people who love the catacombs and prefer to explore them on their own, completely ignoring official requirements. As a rule, they enter the catacombs through sewer systems and the extensive network of the Parisian metro. But there are rumors that you can get into the catacombs through the basements of some houses. The owners of which are in no hurry to share their little secret.
An interesting manifestation The cataphile subculture is the writing of “treatises”. These are philosophical fabrications that the authors carefully write down on paper and then hide in the depths of the catacombs. Finding such a treatise is considered a great success, which is why they are a collector's item. You can learn a little more about cataphiles from this post.
Another participant in underground life is the patrol. This is a special sports brigade created back in 1980. She is engaged in catching unlucky tourists and cataphiles outside the tourist area of the catacombs. Those who fall into their clutches face a fine of 60 euros.
