Lovers thrills They will definitely include the catacombs of Paris in their program of visiting interesting places in order to tickle your nerves by plunging into the mysterious atmosphere of the past.
If you are not afraid of ghosts and graves, go down into the dungeon to come into contact with the otherworldly, feel the breath and smell of death, look into the eyes of those who long ago crossed to the other side of the River Styx and unraveled the mystery of the afterlife.
You can buy skip-the-line tickets to the Catacombs of Paris
In the beginning there were stones
The underground city of the dead appeared at the end XVIII century, but it all started much earlier and rather prosaically - with stone mining. Until the 10th century, development was carried out on the left bank of the Seine, then it spread to the right bank. Until the end of the century, the stone was mined on the surface, but its reserves began to deplete, and it was decided to go deeper underground.
Louis XI showed generosity and gave away the territories adjacent to the castle of Vauvert for the sake of cutting down limestone. In the center, where the Luxembourg Gardens now lie, the first underground work began.
Further, new shafts began to diverge in rays, and walking along the streets of Saint-Germain-des-Prés, Vaugirard, Saint-Jacques and Gobelin, as well as along the Val-de-Grâce hospital, remember that a few meters below you lurks another one, hidden from a curious part of Paris.
When large voids began to form, they began to find useful application. These turned out to be excellent cellars, and therefore in 1259 the monks, whose monasteries were located in close proximity from empty mines, they were turned into wine cellars.
But the city grew, and to XVII century its borders intersected with quarries. The suburb of Saint-Victor, which now connects the eastern periphery from Rue des Ecoles to Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire; as well as the Rue Saint-Jacques and the territory of Saint-Germain-de-Paris have become the most treacherous zones, actually hanging over the abyss.
When the threat of collapses could no longer be ignored, Louis XVI in the spring of 1777, he ordered the organization of the General Inspectorate so that it would come to grips with the quarries. She still works now, and her the main task– engage in strengthening of mines in order to delay and prevent their destruction, which in Lately became main problem due to the underground currents of the Seine, persistently flooding the tomb.
Unfortunately, the engineering thought of modern inspection does not go further than concrete, which is simply used to fill problematic niches. Thus, the gypsum quarries of northern Paris are buried and lost forever, and meanwhile the water finds other loopholes for itself.
Cemetery stories
The Church has always been sensitive to the observance own interests, and therefore in every possible way welcomed burials on the lands adjacent to it. A place in the cemetery and funeral services were one of the types of income, and given high mortality, it was quite a jackpot.
Judge for yourself: unsanitary conditions; medicine is at a rudimentary level, and even that is more punitive than healing; the bubonic plague of 1418 alone yielded a harvest of 50,000 corpses. And if there was a period of too long abstinence, it was always possible to organize St. Bartholomew's Night, which happened in 1572, bringing more than 30,000 dead to church cemeteries.
The Cemetery of the Innocents served 19 churches, operating since the 11th century, and one can only imagine the density of its “population”. TO XVIII century Each grave sometimes contained 1,500 bodies from different periods of time.
Deep down like this mass graves went 10 meters away, and upper layer the ground did not exceed 2 meters. At 7,000 sq. m, the total number of bodies was more than two million, and naturally, the situation soon got out of control - the miasma filled Paris, with new strength Infections broke out, even wine and milk could not stand it, starting to turn sour.
In addition, the cemetery has become a favorite place for dubious individuals: homeless people, robbers and even witches and sorcerers.
The first settlers of the ossuary
The Church defended its possessions for a long time, but was forced to obey the decree of the Parisian parliament, which in 1763 prohibited further burials in the city. Yet the cemetery existed until 1780, when the wall separating it collapsed, filling the basements of nearby houses with sewage, swamp and the remains of the dead.
This event marked the beginning new system- burials in the residential area were strictly prohibited, and the ashes from the graves were sent to a depth of 17.5 meters into the inactive Tomb-Isoire quarries. It took more than a year to collect, disinfect and arrange the bones in their new home.
When the cemetery of the Innocents was dealt with, another 17 large and 300 small graveyards lined up.
The city's orderlies worked at night, contributing to the birth of legends with a touch of mysticism. This is how the catacombs appeared near Paris, where tourists today strive to get to, courageously standing in long lines at the pavilion near the Danfer-Rochereau metro station. As soon as you see the lion of the famous sculptor Bartholdi, you are at your destination.
Walk in the city of the dead
Starting your descent into the dungeon, you will walk 130 steps, going 20 meters deep along a spiral staircase, and feeling a gradual decrease in temperature (at the bottom it constantly remains +14).
Below you will find yourself in the threshold of the kingdom of spirits, but to the crypt itself you still have to walk along a narrow long corridor, which constantly branches off, inviting you to turn right or left. But you need to follow your group without leaving the tourist area, so that the police team does not fine you at least 60 euros.
This police force was created specifically for the catacombs back in 1955. And not in vain, since before the dungeon was turned into a museum, many people were lost in its labyrinths. The watchman Philibert Asper, who worked at the Val-de-Grâce temple in 1793, decided to profit from the wine stored in the cellars.
It is unknown whether he found the desired drink or not, but he definitely lost his way out of the tricky interweaving of corridors. The remains of the poor man were found 11 years later, and scraps of clothing and a bunch of keys became identification mark his personality.
After passing several halls, you find yourself in a crypt, on the sides of which, like guards, stand black and white columns, reminiscent of a monastic robe, and on the beam between them you can read: “Stop! This is the Empire of Death". At this point, another quote always comes to mind: “Abandon hope, everyone who enters here!”.
Similar Caveats only encourages us to continue to look at the Catacombs of Paris, despite other signs warning about the perishability of existence.
Moving further, you involuntarily become imbued with the atmosphere reigning inside, listening to the uniform rustling of gravel under your feet, lonely drops somewhere in the distance. The dim yellowish lighting and empty eye sockets of six million local inhabitants make one think about death in all its forms.
But once upon a time, all these skulls and bones were living people who dreamed, loved, cried, were afraid, suffered, made plans, regretted something, or rejoiced, laughed.
In the photo, the Catacombs of Paris convey only a small part of the emotions that a person experiences when descending into the necropolis. Just imagine - it occupies about 11,000 sq. meters in area, and the length of the tunnels is up to 300 km.
It is impossible to go around and serve such an area, and therefore for visits they have improved the route, which takes 1.7 km, which is also a lot. Her examination usually takes about 45 minutes.
They say that “wild” places are completely strewn with bones in a chaotic order, and no one cares about them. In silence, peace and darkness, Parisians who have finished their earthly vale, who lived in distant times, rest. What thoughts, fears and aspirations did they experience during their lifetime?
Looking at them, you want to see their real faces. Who knows, perhaps you are peering into the eye sockets of the poet Charles Perrault, the most powerful and wealthy person of his era - Nicolas Fouquet, the famous revolutionary - Maximilian Robespierre or Louis Antoine de Saint-Just. Perhaps because of the screen other world Blaise Pascal is looking at you - philosopher, mathematician, great writer, physicist and mechanic.
Many more famous personalities found peace in city of the dead. But where those who were once worshiped by all of France and even the world is impossible to determine, since their bones have long been mixed with others, whose nameless ashes are laid in even rows in endless corridors along damp walls.
And the living find temporary refuge here
IN different times The Parisian catacombs served not only as a tomb for the dead, the living also found them practical use. So, during the Second World War it was located secret bunker fascists. But the most striking thing is that their neighbors were the center of the French Resistance, which was only 500 meters away.
At one time, Bonaparte Napoleon also liked to receive high-ranking guests in that part of the gallery where lighting was provided. During times cold war The threat of nuclear bombing loomed over the world, and in this case, bomb shelters were equipped in the catacombs.
Since the underground always maintains the same temperature and humidity, it is an ideal climate for growing champignons - a favorite product of French cuisine.
Supernatural of the Parisian catacombs
It's time to find out some horrors about the catacombs of Paris, which invariably had to be born during the history of their existence. Many consider it incredible that the unfortunate people who got lost in numerous labyrinths were never found.
Of course, it is difficult for the uninitiated to navigate such a dark place, but if they died, where did the bodies go?
Montsouris Park is located in the south of Paris. But it is known not only for its nickname “Mouse Mountain”, memorial sign Paris meridian made of stone, large territory, and a picturesque pond.
They say that from time to time a strange shadow is noticed in it, very fast and mysterious. Its habitat is underground galleries running under the park. The appearance of a shadow is always unexpected, accompanied corpse smell and terrible cold.
It is impossible to consider it, but only to catch it peripheral vision, but this does not bode well. It is believed that this phantom is a harbinger of imminent death.
Also, if you believe the management and members of the Grand Opera troupe, the ghost of the opera is quite real. He has forever reserved box No. 5 of the first tier for himself, and tickets for spectators are never sold to it. When the show ends, he goes into the catacombs until next time.
Over the years, many cases of contact with mysterious phenomena, which Parisians explain by the activity of the inhabitants of the underground city.
So, in March 1846, one of the newspapers described an unusual episode in the judicial chronicle section, which was never revealed. It said that at the construction site where old houses were being demolished to pave the new Rue Cujas, which would connect the Panthéon and the Sorbonne, strange things happened for several nights in a row.
This site belonged to the wood merchant Leribl, and next to it stood a lonely house, which became the target of the attack. As darkness fell, stones began to fall on the house, so large and with such power that no person could do such a thing.
The structure suffered significant damage: broken windows, damaged frames and mangled doors. A police patrol was sent to catch the criminal, and evil dogs were allowed into the yard at night, but this did not help. It was never possible to determine who was responsible for the vandalism, since the attacks stopped as suddenly as they began.
Mystics have the same opinion on this matter: construction work has disturbed souls of the dead from the catacombs, and they tried to drive away the troublemakers.
Each story excites the imagination and pushes adventurers into the Parisian catacombs for a dose of adrenaline. But adventurers are not attracted to “sleek” corridors; give them wild, untrodden places. Cataphiles and diggers penetrate there through sewer hatches or metro tunnels, but not everyone manages to find the way back.
Catacombs of Paris on the map
This topic has repeatedly inspired writers, filmmakers and creators computer games on their own stories with mysticism, secrets and adventures of heroes.
The catacombs of Paris are the most exotic part of history, giving the city a touch of mystery. Without a doubt, if you are not too impressionable, do not suffer from heart disease, and do not have breathing problems, you should see the final resting place of medieval Parisians, and perhaps you will learn some of their secrets.
Catacombs of Paris Video
The exact address: 1 avenue du Colonel Henri Rol-Tanguy - 75014 Paris
Working hours: Tuesday - Sunday from 10:00 to 20:30 (ticket office closes at 19:30)
The catacombs are closed: On Mondays and some holidays May 1 and August 15
Photo gallery of the catacombs of Paris
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Catacombs of Paris
The Catacombs of Paris - a network of winding underground tunnels and caves artificial type near Paris. The total length, according to various sources, is from 187 to 300 kilometers. WITH late XVIII century, the catacombs contain the remains of almost six million people.
History of quarries
Most of the stone workings of Paris were on the left bank of the Seine, but in the 10th century the population moved to the right bank, near the old city of the Merovingian period. At first, stone mining was carried out open method, but by the end of the 10th century its reserves became scarce.
First underground mining limestone were located under the territory of modern Luxembourg Gardens, when Louis XI donated the land of the castle of Vauvert for limestone cutting. New mines are starting to open further and further from the city center - these are the areas of the current Val-de-Grâce hospital, Gobelin streets, Saint-Jacques, Vaugirard, Saint-Germain-des-Prés. In 1259, the monks of a nearby monastery converted the caves into wine cellars and continued underground mining.
The expansion of the residential part of Paris during the Renaissance and later - under Louis XIV - led to the fact that XVII century the lands above the quarries were already within the city limits, and a significant part of the residential areas actually “hung” over the abyss. The most dangerous places were "the suburb of St. Victor" (from eastern outskirts Rue des Ecoles south to Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire), Rue Saint-Jacques, and finally the suburb (then a small town near the castle) Saint-Germain-des-Prés.
In April 1777, King Louis XVI decreed the creation of the General Inspectorate of Quarries, which still exists today. Over a period of more than 200 years, the workers of this inspection have carried out colossal work to create fortification structures capable of delaying or even completely preventing the gradual destruction of the dungeon. Strengthening problem causing concern sections of the underground network are solved in one way that does not require significant funding - the entire underground space is filled with concrete. As a result of concreting, historical monuments such as the gypsum quarries in the north of Paris disappeared. Still, concreting is a temporary measure because The groundwater The Sens will sooner or later find a way out in other places.
History of the ossuary
According to the current situation Christian tradition They tried to bury the deceased on the land adjacent to the church. At the beginning of the Middle Ages, the Catholic Church strongly encouraged burials near churches, receiving considerable profits for the funeral services of the dead and for places in the cemetery. Therefore, Christian cemeteries were located in the center settlements not only in Paris, but throughout Europe.
For example, at 7,000 square meters The Cemetery of the Innocents, in operation since the 11th century, buried parishioners from 19 churches, as well as unidentified corpses. In 1418 Black Death or the bubonic plague epidemic added about 50,000 more corpses. In 1572, the cemetery accommodated thousands of victims St. Bartholomew's Night. Since to mid-18th century century, the cemetery became the burial place of two million bodies, the burial layer sometimes went 10 meters deep, the ground level rose by more than two meters. In one grave different levels there could be up to 1,500 remains different periods. The cemetery became a breeding ground for infection and emitted a stench that was said to turn milk and wine sour. However, the priests opposed the closure of city cemeteries. But, despite the resistance of church representatives, in 1763 the Parliament of Paris issued a decree banning burials inside the city walls.
In 1780, the wall separating the Cemetery of the Innocents from the houses on the neighboring Rue de la Langrie collapsed. The basements of nearby houses were filled with the remains of the dead and a huge amount of dirt and sewage. The cemetery was closed completely and burials in Paris were prohibited. For 15 months, every night, black-clad convoys removed the bones to be disinfected, processed and placed in the abandoned quarries of Tomb-Isoire at a depth of 17.5 meters. Later it was decided to clear another 17 cemeteries and 300 places of worship cities.
Entry point
Near the entrance to the Denfert-Rochereau metro station (landmark - famous lion the work of the sculptor Bartholdi, author of the Statue of Liberty) there is a small pavilion. This is the entrance to the famous Parisian catacombs.
The catacombs are patrolled by a special police sports brigade, created in 1980 in order to comply with the law of November 2, 1955, prohibiting all outsiders from being in underground quarries Paris outside the tourist areas. The minimum fine for violation is 60 euros.
Some facts
- Electricity was installed in the underground galleries. Emperor Napoleon III loved to receive important guests here.
- Today, 2.5 km is equipped for tourists to visit underground passages. When visiting the catacombs, some, if desired, can limit themselves to only the historical exhibition, without visiting the ossuary itself.
- The watchman of the Val-de-Grâce church, Philibert Asper, in search of wine cellars, tried to explore catacombs stretching for hundreds of kilometers. In 1793, he got lost in this labyrinth, and his skeleton was found only 11 years later, identified by keys and clothes.
- During the Paris Universal Exhibition of 1878 in the underground galleries of Chaillot, opposite the one built specifically for this exhibition Eiffel Tower, a cafe called “Catacombs” opened.
- The existence of the Paris catacombs is under threat. The main reason is groundwater, eroding the base and fastenings of the catacombs. At the beginning of 1980, groundwater levels began to rise in some places, resulting in some galleries being flooded.
- During World War II, on the left bank of the Seine, a top-secret bunker was installed in one of the quarries German army. Just 500 meters away, in August 1944, was the headquarters of the leaders of the Resistance movement.
- During the Cold War, bomb shelters were installed in the underground galleries of Paris in case of nuclear war.
- Buried here: Jean Baptiste Colbert, Marat, Maximilian Robespierre, Nicolas Fouquet, Lavoisier, Pascal, Charles Perrault, Francois Rabelais.
Parisian catacombs. Today, underground tunnels are a collection of caves total length more than three hundred kilometers, which run under almost the entire territory of the historical part of Paris.
The Catacombs of Paris as a source of building material
Paris is a city of museums with unique collections and priceless architectural masterpieces, but the French capital hides one of the most interesting attractions underground - Parisian catacombs. It is not known for certain in what century the development of catacombs - man-made caves used as quarries for extracting the stone necessary for the construction of the city - began. Today, the catacombs of Paris (underground tunnels) are a collection of caves with a total length of more than three hundred kilometers, which pass almost under the entire territory of the historical part of Paris.
Scientists have been able to establish that the first catacombs appeared under the territory of modern Paris back in antiquity. Afterwards, new buildings and palaces were built for the nobility and the French aristocracy, for which building stone was needed, and the length of the catacombs increased every year, every decade, every century.
Beginning in the 12th century, when the rapid growth of Paris began, the first limestone stone was mined in the area of the modern Luxembourg Gardens. It was from the stones mined in this place that the most famous monuments architecture of the French capital. These include the royal palace of the Louvre, the cathedral Notre Dame of Paris, as well as Sainte-Chapelle. In those years when the Parisian catacombs were being developed, there were no residential buildings above them - this territory was not part of Paris, subsequently the city grew, and new areas were built above the underground galleries.
Underground city of the dead
Centuries passed, and the purpose of the catacombs changed - they began to be used as an underground cemetery, gradually turning into a huge necropolis. According to historians, many people found their last refuge in this necropolis. large quantity people than the population of modern Paris. It is believed that the underground necropolis contains the remains of more than 6 million Parisians, but in this case These figures are very approximate, and exact statistics cannot be reproduced exactly. Necropolis The Parisian catacombs were replenished and as a result of the reburial of remains from many of the city's medieval cemeteries, in 1785 the ashes of people who had previously been buried in the Cemetery of the Innocents were transferred here.
After this, the Parisian catacombs acquired a new, previously unused name - they began to be called City of Darkness. The remains - bones and skulls - lined the walls and ceilings of underground galleries without taking into account social status deceased. The bones of workers, townspeople and aristocrats were tightly fitted to each other, and now they are a kind of decor for underground galleries, attracting numerous tourists. Visiting dungeons is associated with secrets and riddles, mysticism and mystery. Among the bones are the remains of two finance ministers of the era Louis XIV- executed Fouquet, and died in more late time Colbert, here lie the ashes of Robespierre, Lavoisier, Danton, Marat. Buried in the underground necropolis and worldwide famous storyteller Charles Perrault, as well as other French writers - Racine, Blaise Pascal, Rabelais.
The magic of underground galleries
The underground galleries of the Parisian catacombs are located at a depth of more than 20 meters, and most tourists, going down and heading towards the ossuary shrouded in legends, do not even suspect it. Not far from the entrance to the dungeon you can still see the foundation of an ancient Arcuey aqueduct, which with full confidence can be called one of the attractions of Paris. On the vaults of the catacombs, traces of the work carried out here are still clearly visible; one can imagine how the workers separated pieces of stone with ancient, imperfect tools and draw conclusions about their hard work. On the walls of underground galleries you can still discern a “black line” - a special line carved into the rock, which was used as a landmark long before the advent of electricity. The Paris catacombs are now illuminated, making visiting them more convenient, safe and accessible for a large number of people. local residents. Considering the “black line”, you involuntarily compare it with the mythical “Ariadne’s thread” - the only way get out of the ancient labyrinth.
After walking through narrow underground galleries, tourists find themselves in a wider part of the Parisian catacombs, called "studio"— it was here that the bulk of the stone was mined for the implementation construction work. This part of the catacombs has been preserved since ancient times almost in its original form, and the narrow pillars supporting the arches of the man-made cave can still be seen. Underground necropolis in old times was richly decorated with sculptures and bas-reliefs, made as an exact copy of the decorations of the majestic palace of Port-Mahon, located on one of the Bolearic Islands. Unfortunately, neither time nor the “black archaeologists” involved in robberies have spared the beautiful sculptures underground cemetery, currently nothing remains of the sculptural compositions. Only bas-reliefs made by the skilled master Decure, a veteran of the army of the French King Louis XV, who later became one of the first workers of the specially created Main Inspectorate of Quarries, have survived to this day. And only these ancient bas-reliefs remind of the ancient decor of the Parisian catacombs.
Another interesting detail of the underground galleries is the signs at the intersections of the passages, which indicate the names of the streets located above the catacombs, under important public buildings and Catholic churches, you can still see the lily carved on the walls of the galleries - a symbol of France and its kings. The first tablets in the galleries appeared in the second half of the 18th century, and the initiator of the study of the catacombs was french king Louis XVI. In those years, on the territory of Paris there were many entrances and exits to underground galleries, homeless people lived here, criminals took refuge, so the Parisian catacombs for a long time enjoyed a bad reputation.
The underground necropolis - ossuary is located under the modern streets d'Alembert, Allais, Avenue Rene-Coty and Rue Darais, and many tourists, leisurely strolling along these streets above, do not even suspect what is under them. During exciting excursion in the Parisian catacombs, tourists will see the ossuary itself, and many other underground attractions - an ancient altar, consecrated by the servants catholic church, the crypt itself and a narrow tunnel specially laid to feed into the underground galleries fresh air. It still serves as a kind of ventilation.
The excursion route through the Parisian catacombs ends with a visit to unique inspector gallery, which is located under Rue Rémy-Dumoncel. The main attraction of this gallery is an underground well, with the help of which in the old days limestone was mined for the French capital, and the story of an experienced guide seems to take tourists several centuries ago, when the development of the Parisian catacombs was carried out.
Since 1814, the Parisian catacombs had another purpose - parts of them were used as wine cellars, breweries, warehouses, bars and cafes were set up in them, and underground galleries for many became usual place meetings. At the same time, the length of the tourist route through the Parisian catacombs does not exceed one and a half kilometers, and the rest remains beyond the unknown.
The Catacombs of Paris are mentioned in French and Russian literature, cinematography, and are the subject of mass art. They were formed during the active construction of Paris, when the townspeople needed a large number of limestone. It was taken on the territory of the city from the end of the 11th to the 18th century, until there was a threat of collapse of above-ground buildings. They were then used to bury people and remains brought from various cemeteries in Paris. Now the catacombs are a place where human bones are displayed, collected in one place in huge quantities.
If you need to find out how to get to the quarries, the entrance to them for organized groups is located in a specially equipped pavilion. It can be found near the Denfert-Rochereau metro station. The landmark will be the lion by the sculptor Bartholdi. The entrance to the catacombs of Paris is indicated on the city map, which can be bought at a newspaper stand. Tourists can explore 2 km of underground passages, specially equipped to display the municipal crypt.
History of the catacombs
Underground quarries of Paris at the end of the 18th century. began to be used for the reburial of the deceased from the Cemetery of the Innocents, which was located in the Les Halles area. This ancient place became a source of infection for the residents of the city, and it was decided to disband it and remove the bones to an ancient dungeon.
The catacombs of Paris at this time consisted of brickwork and retaining galleries and wells from which limestone and gypsum were mined. They began to throw bones into them, and did this for 2 years. The remains of 6 million people were then thoroughly disinfected. Some of the processed skulls and bones were laid out in the form of walls, while the remaining parts of the skeletons were hidden behind them from the eyes of visitors. From that moment on, the catacombs began to arouse curiosity among the bored secular public. The cemetery near Paris was visited by Napoleon III with his son and others famous people. Gradually, sculptors began to create bas-reliefs and statues for this place, which made this place even more spectacular.
Cabaret Moulin Rouge
During the Second World War, part of the quarries was equipped with a bunker for the German army, and 500 m from it the headquarters of the Resistance movement was located.
In the 60s. In the 20th century, during the Cold War period, bomb shelters were installed in the underground quarries of Paris that could protect Parisians during a nuclear strike.
Now the underground quarries of Paris are under threat. They are destroyed by underground waters, which erode the foundation and fastenings that support the walls of the dungeon. Some galleries are completely flooded.
Sign at the entrance: “Stop! This is the empire of death"
This scary landmark of Paris is guarded by the sports police and is only open to organized groups. Thousands of tourists visit it every day to explore unusual place. To get inside faster, it is recommended to purchase tickets in advance. You can stand in line for up to 4 hours. The ticket office closes at 16:00, so you need to plan your visit in advance and go there in the morning.
What can you see in this place
Moving away from the ticket office with a ticket, the visitor finds himself in a corridor where there is spiral staircase, leading down 20 m underground, the air temperature here is +14°C and the humidity is high. This microclimate requires warm clothing.
The Parisian dungeon is long narrow corridors, which connect to other passages in the form of a ring. On their walls are written the names of the Parisian streets under which the visitor passes. All unnecessary passages are blocked off, and employees of the underground museum are everywhere.
National Library of France
The halls have polished pillars that support the vault. Sculptures and bas-reliefs created to decorate burials are presented. There is a well where limestone was mined for Paris, and a Samaritan fountain. This ancient reservoir was designed to collect water needed by stonemasons.
"Fountain of the Samaritan Woman"
The crypt, for which the catacombs are famous, photos of which are known all over the world, is equipped with walls made of skulls and shin bones. Visitors are amazed by the long row of bones, carefully laid out to form a wall about 800 m long and reaching the height of the dungeon ceiling. Hidden behind it are mountains of human remains.
The crypt contains 2 black columns with a white diamond-shaped pattern. There are many inscriptions containing words warning about the frailty of life and making you think about simple human values.
On a guided tour, visitors will learn the history of these places, dating back to ancient times, when the place where the capital of France is located was the bottom of the sea. The guide demonstrates physical evidence of this, which is interesting
people who love geology. He will tell interesting stories and legends associated with the catacombs.
There is no cell phone service or basic amenities in the tunnels. At the exit, bags are inspected so that tourists do not steal the attraction for souvenirs. Fans of souvenirs in the form of skulls can purchase them at the kiosk at the exit from the catacombs.