The ossuary at Denfert-Rochereau Place was planned out at the end of the 18th century. Situated in a quadrilateral between Avenue Rene Coty and the Streets Halle, Dareau and d'Alembert, at a depth of 22 meters below the street, the ossuary in question covers 11,000 square meters for 780 meters of galleries ( which makes about 1 kilometer for the visit). The visitor enters and goes down a staircase with about one hundred steps. For about 300 meters, he passes inspection galleries. A little bit before arriving at the ossuary, the visitor goes down a gallery which is at a slight gradient and connects two levels. On the right, there is a hole, surrounded by a handrail, in which many feet have waded: the "Bain de pied des carriers", or "Quarry foot bath". Near this hole, there is a rock sculpture reproduction of the Anglo-Spanish Port-Mahon fortress which was created between 1777 and 1782 by a quarryman, an old soldier under Louis XVI, who was locked up in this fortress.
After a final gallery on the right, there is a large room situated under
the number 12 on Avenue Rene Coty, which represents the beginning of the
actual sanctuary.
The visitor is informed of his arrival by a message inscribed on the fronton:
"Arrete ! C'est ici l'Empire de la mort "
or
"Stop! This is the Empire of the Dead"
All throughout the visit, the well stowed bones line each wall.
The visitor is surrounded by the remains of millions of skeletons.
A few moments later, the funeral march leads us to the Samaritain Fountain,
a well with a curbstone in the form of a spiral staircase.
Afterwards, there is brick altar, a copy of an antique discovered at the
turn of the century.
The room of the sepulchre lamp follows.
A pedestal supports a bowl between two rectangular pillars painted
black and white. It's at this spot that the quarry workers lighted fires
to ventilate the area. And later, the sarcophagus of Lacrymatoire comes to
light.
It is also called Tombeau de Gilbert, or Gilbert's Tomb, in honnor of the
writer whose serious verses appear on the front:
" Au banquet de la vie infortune convive
J'apparut un jour et je meurs
Je meurs et sur ma tombe ou lentement j'arrive
Nul ne viendra verser des pleurs "
Further away, the engraved inscription "D.M 2 et 3 septembre 1792" reminds
us that victims of the revolution are among the dead resting in this place.
The last room seen by the visitor is the crypt of passion.
Here occurred the famous event to which about one hundred people were
invited
with this message:
" Vous etes prie d'assister au concert spirituel et profane qui se fera le
vendredi 2 avril 1897 en l'ossuaire des Catacombes de Paris par le
concours d'artistes musicaux tres eminents.
L'entree se fera rue Dareau 92, pres de la rue Halle des 11 heures du soir.
Pour eviter les rassemblements de curieux geneurs, priere de ne pas
ordonner l'arret des voitures devant la porte ",
or
"You are invited to attend a spiritual and secular concert on Friday, April
2, 1897 in the Catacombs of Paris ossuary for the gathering of very
distinguished musicians.
Enter at rue Dareau 92, close to rue Halle, at 11 pm.
In order to avoid the gathering of curious intruders, please do not park
your car in front of the door".
45 musicians performed marches and funeral dances by Chopin, Saint-Saens
and Beethoven.
It's with memories of this famous concert that the visitor goes through the
gallery below rue Dareau that leads to the exit staircase and the excavation
sack, at the corner of rue Halle.
