Catacombs of Paris
Catacombs of Paris
Catacombs of Paris
OPENING TIMES AND TICKETS
The Paris Catacombs were created in the 18th century to provide a place to bury the bones of the dead. And yet this site is so much more than that, offering an important insight into the old underground quarries, the geological layers of the city, significant moments in history and attitudes towards death during the 18th century. And, sure, there are a fair few bones to look at. An astonishing six million locals were laid to rest in the Catacombs after all.
My Rating:
The positives:
A full-on sensory experience you won’t get anywhere else. Quite a contrast to the chic romance Paris is known for. The world hidden beneath the streets of Paris is only 131 steps away!
The negatives:
Not so kind on the bank balance!
Top Tip:
With the maximum capacity set at 200 and long queues guaranteed, I would recommend buying a ‘Skip the Line’ ticket.
Last Modified: 18.01.2024 | Céline & Jacqueline
Catacombs of Paris
Tickets
1 MINUTE
IN THE CATACOMBS OF PARIS
Sneak peak!
You want a little foretaste of visiting the catacombs?
We have prepared a small video of our visit for you…
Have fun!
Yours,
Celine
The details
at a glance
Prices
EUR 29 for adults aged 26 and over
EUR 23 for young people between 18 and 26 years
EUR 10 for kids between 5 and 17 years
free entry for children under the age of 5
Prices incl. audio guide
Catacombs of Paris
Photo Gallery
What is there
to see?
No, the question here should be: What is there to experience? I’d actually go so far as to call it a 4D experience, as none of your senses are neglected.
The Paris Catacombs were created in the 18th century to provide a place to bury the bones of the dead. And yet this site is so much more than that, offering an important insight into the old underground quarries, the geological layers of the city, significant moments in history and attitudes towards death during the 18th century. And, sure, there are a fair few bones to look at. An astonishing six million locals were laid to rest in the Catacombs after all.
A narrow spiral staircase leads you down into this world beneath the streets of Paris. First, you come to a few rooms with some brief information on the catacombs on the walls.
From there, you walk down a long and winding passageway. You won’t see any bones at this point, but it’s still really exciting to know that the city is just above your head. With the maximum capacity restricted to 200 people, the catacombs never feel overly full, which makes the whole experience even better. The atmosphere down there is a little eerie though, just to warn you!
There is no hiding from the fact that you are in disused underground quarries dating back to the 15th century. And they are huge! Only 1/800th of the total area of the quarries beneath the city was used as a burial site. For the remains of six million people, no less!
I would recommend listening to the audio guide if you want to learn about the history behind the catacombs as well as mining techniques and so much more.
You do eventually reach all the bones. Chiselled stone signs reveal the name of the Parisian graveyard the remains came from and when they were moved to the catacombs. You will be amazed by all the different ways in which the bones are arranged – just skulls, just thigh bones, a mixed wall display or a feature in the shape of a barrel. The smell is interesting… A mix of damp, organic matter, earth… Definitely not for the faint-hearted!
At the end of the tour, you head up another narrow spiral staircase and find yourself back in modern-day Paris. But not in the same place as you started! The underground tour covers several hundred metres.
Catacombs of Paris
PRACTICAL INFORMATION
The site:
Total distance covered: 1.5 km
Depth: 20 metres under the ground
Access: 131 steps down and 112 steps up
Duration of tour: 45 minutes
Temperature: 14°C
Entrance: 1, Avenue du Colonel Henri Rol-Tanguy (Place Denfert-Rochereau)
Exit: 21 bis, Avenue René-Coty.
Suitcases and large bags are not allowed in the catacombs. All bags must be 40 × 30 cm or smaller.
There is no cloakroom facility as the entrance and exit are not in the same location.
No more than 200 people are allowed into the catacombs at any one time. This precautionary measure helps to preserve the fragile bones. The entrances may also be closed off every so often. You can expect to queue for up to two hours during the peak tourist season.
Make sure you wear proper footwear, as the ground can be uneven and there may be loose gravel and wet patches.
Accessibility:
This attraction is underground and can only be accessed via the steps.
The following groups of people will not be granted entry:
– People with reduced mobility
– People with heart problems or breathing difficulties
– Pregnant women
– People with a sensitive disposition or claustrophobia
– Children under the age of 10
– Children under 14 must be accompanied by an adult.
Site preservation:
The following measures are in place to preserve this unique site:
– The maximum capacity is restricted to 200 people
– Suitcases and large bags are not permitted
– Bones should obviously not be taken or damaged in any way. Anyone caught breaking these rules will be prosecuted. Bag checks are in place at the exit to enforce this rule.
– Photos can be taken, but the flash must be off and tripods may not be used.
Unofficial tours:
Please make sure you book your tour through an official site. Unfortunately, it is possible you will be approached by someone selling places on unofficial tours, which often take place at night and in unsecured areas of the catacombs. This is very dangerous and illegal, so please get your hands on official tickets!
Catacombs of Paris
A bit of history
The Catacombs of Paris are an underground ossuary built in a disused quarry during the 18th century. Major public health problems linked to the city’s cemeteries led to the original decision to transfer human remains underground.
The local authorities found an easily accessible site outside of the city centre – the former Tombe-Issoire quarries that had been cleared out and declared disused by the 15th century or maybe even earlier. But that area originally used for the catacombs and now open to the public is just a tiny part of the network of tunnels spanning some 800 hectares hidden out of sight beneath the city’s streets.
The first human remains were transferred under the ground here in 1780, with bones having been taken from graves and mass graves and relocated to their new home after dark to avoid a negative response from the citizens of Paris and representatives of the Church. Upon reaching their destination, the bones were unloaded into two shafts, sorted by quarry workers and stacked up in the tunnels. Over time, the bones from every cemetery in Paris were moved to the catacombs.
The site was consecrated as the Paris Municipal Ossuary on 7 April 1786. And it has been known as the Catacombs of Paris ever since, with its mythical name inspired by the Catacombs of Rome. You will often hear all of the underground quarries in Paris being referred to as the catacombs. But that’s not quite right. In actual fact, that name is reserved exclusively for the section that was transformed into an ossuary.
The catacombs have been open to the public since 1809, having been hailed a great success the world over. And now around 550,000 people visit the attraction every year.
Before the doors to the catacombs were officially opened, all the loose bones were carefully arranged into walls. The idea was to create a museum and monument in one. Layers of shinbones are alternated with rows of skulls up front, with the rest of the bones piled up behind them, since many of them would have been damaged in transit.
Even now, the challenges of preserving the bones in a very damp underground space, respecting the human remains and maintaining this site of geological, archaeological and historical significance are still being faced at the Catacombs of Paris.
Offizielle Webseite der Katakomben (EN): www.catacombes.paris.fr
Text- und Bildrechte: © Céline Mülich, 2019 – 2024
Mit Unterstützung von Jacqueline Glarner
