The Pere Lachaise Cemetery is located in the eastern part of Paris and is known here as the Eastern Cemetery. It is the largest green oasis in the French capital and one of the largest museums of tombstone sculpture in the open air with an area of about 48 hectares.
Previously, this place was a poor district, simply teeming with dangerous criminals, cunning crooks and depraved prostitutes. The history of the cemetery dates back to 1430, when a wealthy merchant built himself a mansion on a hill in this area, which eventually became the property of the monastery.
Subsequently, the land and the Charron Hill, on which the cemetery appeared, belonged to the Jesuit order, and the area was named after one of the fathers of this order, François de la Cheza, who was the spiritual mentor and confessor of Louis XIV.
The order used the friendship between the king and the monk for selfish purposes, expanding and ennobling its possessions. The monastery garden was decorated with fountains, outlandish plants and a greenhouse. Over time, it turned into a place of romantic meetings for the high society.
When the king was gone, the order went bankrupt, and the monastic lands were confiscated and sold at auction. The aristocratic pavilions, grottoes and waterfalls were demolished or torn down, and the garden was redesigned in the English style. A chapel was built on the site of the Jesuit monastery, around which the Pere Lachaise cemetery later appeared.
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The cemetery was very remote from the then borders of the city and only the local poor were buried there. To increase popularity in the eyes of wealthy citizens, the remains of La Fontaine, Moliere, Pierre Abelard and other famous people were reburied here. This plan was successful and by 1824 Pere Lachaise had 33,000 graves.
Over the next two centuries, prominent figures of culture, science and art who contributed to the history of France were buried here. Currently, more than 1 million people rest in the cemetery, and many rumors and legends revolve around it.
They say that in the abandoned ancient crypts there are secret passages, at night dark cults conduct rituals prohibited by law and morality. The crypt of Princess Demidova enjoys special attention and not only Satanists, but also lovers of extreme sensations strive to get into it. According to legend, the princess leaves the coffin on the longest full moon of the year and celebrates the black mass, in which only devoted servants of the devil can participate.
It is worth noting that the French police documented several cases of illegal entry into the cemetery at night, and each time the elusive intruders disappeared into the vast territory like ghosts.
With the first rays of the sun, evil forces go into the dark depths of the cemetery and people in need of help begin to reach out to Père Lachaise. The belief about good spirits has become a common truth here. During the day, some gravestone statues heal from ailments, energize and solve earthly problems. But to feel the inexplicable impact of this place, you need to choose the right patron and sincerely ask him for help.
Some voiced the request in words, others leave a note, and still others write messages to the afterlife on a tombstone. No one knows when these strange traditions appeared and why they work to this day, bringing what they want to those in need. Formed over the centuries, the mystical fame of Père Lachaise will never subside in the ranks of admirers of occult places.