The capital of France is not only about museums, fashion and glamor. The Parisian catacombs contain dark secrets of the past. Many kilometers of caves are strewn with the remains of millions of people.
Cemetery under the city
Underground communications appeared under the city for a reason. Many centuries ago, when Paris was just beginning to be built, building material was required. It was mined underground by miners, excavating huge quarries. The city grew larger, and the quarries gradually grew into whole tunnels, and the tunnels turned into intricate underground labyrinths.
By the 18th century, the quarries had grown so much that many kilometers of voids appeared under the city. It got to the point that whole buildings began to fall into the ground. As a result, some of the most dangerous tunnels and caves were filled up and walled up.
But another problem arose. The capital of France was developing rapidly. The number of residents also increased. Due to the overcrowding of the city, the cemeteries overflowed over time.
Promotional video:
Soon there was nowhere to bury the new dead. The authorities solved this problem radically: they ordered to free the cemeteries from old burials and move the remains to the very tunnels under the city.
What the darkness hides
By the end of the 18th century, all the bones were taken underground, and the quarries were turned into a museum called the Catacombs. They say that more than six million Parisians are buried here, and the length of underground communications is 320 kilometers. And this is only according to official data.
A steep spiral staircase leads to the underground museum - about twenty meters into the dark depths. Having reached the very bottom of the site, tourists find themselves in two rooms, the walls of which are pasted over with photographs and dotted with old inscriptions. There is even a communications map.
Real catacombs are located behind these rooms. The height of the ceilings here varies from 1.8 to 3 meters. Weak, slightly flickering lighting, cold limestone walls similar in color to the facades of Parisian houses in the historic center, monotonous dripping of water - the local surroundings make a depressing impression. Every now and then a crunch is heard underfoot: it crunches either gravel, or someone's old bones.
There is no further move
In the next hall, tourists will see burial chambers - the so-called ossuaries. Here are the remains of people. The most real skulls and bones are collected in intricate shapes, shaped like hearts, crosses, broken arcs and other symbolic objects. The hall makes an eerie impression. The heavy, oppressive atmosphere of this place is clearly felt.
After about two kilometers, there is a dead end. Further the passage is closed. Local diggers say that not all of the tunnels were mapped, and the length of the routes is actually much longer. And if in ossuaries human remains are somehow decorated and neatly arranged, then further piles of bones and skulls are simply scattered around.
What other secrets are kept by the many kilometers of Parisian catacombs - one can only guess.