Catacombs of Paris: The underworld empire of the dead  

While walking down the lively streets of a vibrant city, none of us imagines, even in our wildest dreams, that there are labyrinths of ghostly tunnels beneath them harbouring dead bodies from the yesteryears. But these dark, narrow subterranean passageways have been existing through centuries all over the world, serving as cemeteries or burial grounds for millions. Yes, we are talking about catacombs or underground tombs that you will find in many places of interest, including Rome, Australia, England, Egypt, Peru and France among others. Here’s a quick fact for you: The first ever catacombs were built in Rome around the 1st century by the Jewish communities, followed by Christians. Today, we will take you on a fascinating journey through the underground tombs of Paris, the home to bones of six million Parisians. No less! 
 
From limestone mines to catacombs 
The narrow, underground passageways of the catacombs of Paris date back to the 13th century. Back then, these were not tombs. Instead, these were used to mine the limestone that helped build much of the city and its buildings. By the late 18th century, these old quarries had started collapsing, thanks to the pressure exerted by the rapidly expanding Paris. At the same time, Paris’ traditional cemeteries were overflowing and overstuffed. The conditions were so terrible that effluents from the graves would leak into Paris’ waterways and contaminate the water. ‘Holy Innocents’ Cemetery, the oldest one at the centre of Paris housing over 2 million bodies, also started emitting odour and triggering many diseases. So, practically there was no place left to bury the dead. 

Louis XV (King of France from 1710-1774) issued an edict in 1763 and prohibited all burials inside the capital. However, not much could be done due to opposition from the Church, which didn't want cemeteries moved or disturbed. The crusade was maintained by Louis XV's successor Louis XVI, the last king of France (1774–92), who also believed that all graves needed to be relocated outside of Paris. Thus, a significant project to move the dead from the cemetery into the quarries started in 1785.  
 
Moving dead bodies from cemeteries to catacombs 
Millions of bodies were transported from over 150 cemeteries in Paris to a small town of abandoned limestone quarries outside Paris called Montrouge. Transportation was done in multiple nightly processions between 1785 and 1787 to prevent upsetting city dwellers. There was a small break in the transfers during the French Revolution, but the project went on a whole 12 years until 1814. The dead were initially buried directly in the grave sites of the catacombs during the French Revolution. Some famous characters from history, such as Jean-Paul Marat, one of the most radical voices of the Revolution, and Maximilien de Robespierre, a significant figure throughout the Revolution found their resting places in the catacombs among others. After 1860, the city no longer moved bones into the ossuaries. 

Are the catacombs open to visitors? 
Prior to the renovation by Napoleon III (President of France from 1848–1852) and Baron Haussmann (French official and politician from 1809–1891) in 1809, the catacombs were only accessible by appointment. However, a lot of work had to be done to make the location secure before it could be opened for public viewing. In 1810, an inspector named Héricart de Thury renovated the catacombs so that both Parisians and tourists could visit them. Today, a little more than a mile of the catacombs is accessible to tourists for exploration. There are over two hundred miles of tunnels that run beneath the city of Paris, but they are strictly out of bounds!