Beneath the hustle and bustle of Parisian streets, a vast silent realm awaits. The Paris Catacombs reopen to visitors on Wednesday, 8 April, after five months of safety and preservation work. The aim is to ensure a safer experience for about 600,000 annual visitors.
The renovations focused on technical installations, ventilation, lighting and electrical systems. Isabelle Knafou, the catacombs’ director, explains that the project centers on conserving the remains of Parisians who date back to the 10th to 18th centuries.
Camille Guérémy, from the architecture firm Artémis which led the work, notes that access and evacuation procedures were crucial due to the underground setting. Crews included masons and electricians operating within a restricted, highly wet limestone environment.
The Catacombs originated in the late 18th century as a response to a health crisis at the Innocents cemetery. In 1786, six million remains were moved to the old limestone quarries beneath Tombe-Issoire, 20 meters underground.
In 1810, inspector Louis-Étienne Héricart de Thury transformed the space into the macabre yet iconic arrangement of skulls and femurs, with engraved plaques. The open site, spanning over a kilometer, welcomed the public in 1809 and grew into the world’s largest ossuary.
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