Brandon Luf

Mr. Cian
French 1
3/21/16
Paris Catacombs
The catacombs of Paris, or in French the catacombes de Paris,
have been around for hundreds of years and are filled with over six
million bodies, which is double of what the population of Paris is today.
The catacombs were first dug out to find stone for people to build and
make things out of. Originally people started to be buried there
because King Louis XV had banned all burials at the time. This upset
the Catholic Church. In 1780 a wall of these catacombs collapsed and
rotting corpses spilled into the streets. The French government was
forced to take action on this incident. Six years later in 1786 these
catacombs were blessed by the church and officially became the Paris
Catacombs. Catholics began taking bodies from existing cemeteries
and placing their bodies in the new catacombs. When moving the
bodies, they were moved in a quiet parade that was led by a priest.

Beginning after the French Revolution ended bodies were directly

buried into these underground tunnels. Buried in these catacombs are
Maximilien Robespierre, and Princess Elisabeth of France. These
catacombs are a network of old caves and tunnels that stretch for over
300 kilometers which is equal to 186 miles. People have been touring
these catacombs since 1867. Certain parts today are open for the
public to go and see these tunnels. Its open on Tuesdays to Sunday
from 10h00 and 17h00. Some parts are of limits to the public because
some of it is unsafe where walls and ceilings are collapsing. Prices of
some tours are 8 Euros for adults, 4 for ages 14 to 26, and kids 13 and
under are free. To enter the catacombs you have to use a letter to
climb down into them. The tour can last anywhere from 45 minutes to
an hour and a half depending on your tour guide and how long you
spend looking at certain parts. Today, the air is cool and damp, and
smells like dirt. The temperature is usually around 57 Degrees
Fareignheit. The walls throughout the tunnels are dirt, stone, and
bones. During WWll, many of the French Resistance Fighters who
fought against the Nazis, hid in these tunnels to escape the fighting.

Other parts of the tunnels were used by the Nazis as a bunker to store
weapons, ammo, and other things.