HISTORY OF THE CATACOMBS OF PARIS

The Catacombs of Paris (the municipal Ossuary) have been created at the end of the 18th century. The cemeteryof Innocent (close to Saint-Eustace, in the district of the "Halles") had been used during nearly ten centuries and hadbecome the origin of infection for all the inhabitants of the district. After multiple complaints, the Council of State, bydecision of November 9, 1785, pronounced the removal and the evacuation of the cemetery of the Innocent ones.

Old Quarries were selected to deposit Parisian bones; Paris indeed had just created the General Inspection of theQuarries charged of the consolidation of the public highways undermined by the Quarries. The Quarries of Tombe-Issoire were the object of work including masonry and consolidations of galleries, and by the digging of a flankedstaircase.

The removal of the bones began after the blessing of the place on April 7, 1786 and was continued until 1788,always at night and according to a ceremonial made up of a procession of priests who sang the burial service along the way borrowed by the tipcartscharged with bones and covered with a black veil. Thereafter, this place was used, until 1814, to collect the bones of all the cemeteries of Paris.

From the first day of their creation, the Catacombs caused curiosity. In 1787, Lord of d' Artois, who will become Charles 10, went down there, in companyof ladies from the Court. The following year, one mentions the visit of Madam de Polignac and Madam de Guiche. In 1814, Franois 1st, emperor ofAustria, residing as a winner in Paris visited them. In 1860, Napoleon III went down there with his son.The Catacombs of Paris reopened on June 14, 2005 after several months of closing for work. Lighting was revised, the arches were consolidated and thewalls of re-installed bones.

More information History and visit of Paris catacombs (English) L'inspection gnrale des Carrires de Paris (French page)

INFORMATION : new visit of "Port-Mahon" (2008)

The Catacombs gather the remainders of approximately six million Parisian, transferred between the end from 18e century and the middlefrom the 19e century, progressively of the closing of the cemeteries for reason of insalubrity. Along a labyrinth of obscure galleries andnarrow corridors , the visitor discovers the bones laid out in a "romantico-macabre" decoration. Pillars, bells of subsidence or bath of feet ofthe quarrymen evoke the origin of the places, the limestone quarries, while sharpening the curiosity of the visitor. This underground museumrestores the history of Parisian and invites to a voyage out of time.

The sculptures of the gallery of Port-Mahon made by a quarryman called "Dcure", veteran of the armies of Louis XV, who carved in the walla model of the fortress of Port-Mahon, principal city of Minorque to the Balearic Islands where he would have been a time captive by Englisharmy. Finally restored and exposed by a specific lighting, they constitute an undeniable curiosity of the circuit re-opened to the public after 13years of closing.

ADDRESS

Catacombs of Paris1, avenue of Colonel Henri Rol-Tanguy75014 ParisTel.: 01 43 22 47 63Fax: 01 43 22 48 17

ACCESS

Acces map

Subway and the RER b: Denfert-RochereauBus: 38,68Paying car park: Saint-Jacques boulevardSchedules of openingThe museum is open from 10 a.m. to 17 p.m. every day except Monday (Last admission at 16 p.m.)

LECTURE VISITS / COURSE IN STORIES (TALES)

Appointment at the entry of the Catacombs, 1, avenue of colonel Henri Rol-Tanguy, 75014 Paris.

INDIVIDUAL VISITORSActivities without reservation. Duration: 1:30Accepted methods of payment: Eurocard - Mastercard - Visa

CAUTION, PARTICULAR CONDITIONS OF VISIT :- Visits limited to 200 Visitors in the site (entries can be stopped temporarily)

Catacombs of Paris Museum http://www.catacombes-de-paris.fr/english.htm

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- Visits limited to 200 Visitors in the site (entries can be stopped temporarily)- Duration of the visit: 45 minutes - length 2 km- No toilets, no cloakroom- 130 steps to be gone down, 83 steps to be gone up- Temperature: 14- Visit disadvised to the people suffering of cardiac or respiratory weakness and of nervous disease.- Visit disadvised to young children- Children of less than 14 years must be accompanied by an adult

Visits conferences

Tuesday 04,11,18 at 10:30 Saturdays 01,08,2007 at 10:30Tuesday 02,09,2007 at 10:30Saturdays 6,13,20 and October 27, 2007 at 10:30Tuesday 6 and November 13, 2007 at 10:30

GROUPS (10 people minimum and 20 people maximum)The visits of group are authorized only the morning, from Tuesday to Friday included.Obligatory reservation with the service of Cultural activity of the Carnavalet Museum to the 01 44 59 58 31 (faxes: 01 44 59 58 07).

Catacombs of Paris Museum http://www.catacombes-de-paris.fr/english.htm

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