Catacombs of Paris

The catacombs of Paris , term improperly used to name the municipal Ossuary , are old underground careers of the end of the 18th century located in the 14 {{E}} district of Paris, connected between them by galleries of inspection. Approximately 1,7 kilometer length, located at 20 meters under surface, they can be officially visited starting from the Place Denfert-Rochereau.

This part worth visiting represents only one negligible fraction of vast the underground Carrières of Paris.

History

Towards the end of the 18th century, to face the saturation of the Parisian cemeteries, the decision was made to move the bones of the common graves in the underground careers . This work was completed under the direction of Louis Thiroux de Crosne, lieutenant general of police force. One estimates at nearly 6 million the number of skins which were thus moved in a series of ossuaries which still exist under Paris. Among them, one can in particular quote all the great names of the French revolution. Charles Axel Guillaumot will take care of the transfer of the bones, while its successor, Louis-Etienne Héricart de Thury, in 1810, will arrange the Catacombs and their current aspect will give them.

Cataphilie

See also: Amorce=Pour more information, to see the article, Cataphilie

Since the Years 1960, there exists a certain form of passion for the visit of the nonofficial catacombs. This activity consists in taking other ways that those marked out for the official visits, by exploiting the wells of access of the public Highway, even the underground accesses starting from Cave S, grid systems in basement, etc These entries are in general of prohibited access. The visits in the old careers of Paris are practiced by those which call themselves cataphiles : that is cataphile which has a certain knowledge of the galleries as well as rare entries which were not condemned by concrete or whose levels were divided and plates of access welded.

A parallel kind of world was created with the passing of years, with its plural community, its rules and its conflicts. Some examples:

  • the cataphiles purists, in love with the careers, their atmosphere and their history, endeavor to protect the place while avoiding degrading it by tags or destruction of walls. Some of them show even of knowledge as regards size of the stone and masonry. Their implication goes until rubbing the left tags that and there with the passing of years;
  • of other communities, seeks to leave their mark by a means or another (tags, vandalism). The Community Got or not, the desire to transgress the law is more extremely in general in this community than in the other although the pleasure remains an essential component of the cataphilie. The Gothic movement is absolutely not represented in this underground world, the Gothic being more romantic than adventurous (280 kilometers of gallery muddy and flooded).

Interesting places:

  • falls It from Philibert Aspairt
  • shelter FFI
  • room Z
  • the fountain of the Carthusian monks
  • the ossuary of Montrouge

However, the sporting brigade of the national police force initiated since 1980 per Jean-Claude Saratte, patrol in the catacombs to make respect the law of November 2nd, 1955, which prohibits with any foreign person with the official service or apart from the circuits marked out to circulate in the underground careers of the town of Paris. Fines of 60 € or more can be delivered.

External bonds

  • Official site
  • History, guided visit of the catacombs and detailed plan of the ossuary

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