Catacombs of Paris, France, Underground ossuary museum in 14th arrondissement, France
The Catacombs of Paris are an underground ossuary in the fourteenth arrondissement located twenty meters below street level. Narrow corridors with low ceilings lead through former limestone quarries where bones and skulls form geometric patterns on stone walls, with different sections showing distinct arrangements from various transfer periods.
Overcrowded cemeteries caused health problems in the late eighteenth century, leading authorities to relocate remains to abandoned quarries. The transfer started in 1786 and lasted until 1814, with bones from several Paris cemeteries transported in nighttime processions.
Inscriptions along the walls include poems and Latin phrases about death that visitors can still read today. Guided tours teach visitors how Parisians think about mortality as they walk through the corridors and observe the carefully arranged bones.
The temperature remains at fourteen degrees Celsius (fifty-seven degrees Fahrenheit) throughout the year, so warm clothing and sturdy shoes are necessary for the one hundred thirty-one spiral steps. Access is through Place Denfert-Rochereau using metro lines four and six, with tickets requiring advance online purchase due to limited daily visitor numbers.
Some bone patterns show decorative elements like hearts and crosses that workers created during the original transfer. A forbidden section called Plage contains unorganized bones that were meant for future chambers but were never moved there.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 60,000 contributors worldwide.
