From 1785 the bones of Paris’s overcrowded cemeteries were moved into former limestone quarries south of the old city. The site was consecrated as the Paris Municipal Ossuary in 1786 and has received visitors since 1809.
This page collects what we have published on the Catacombs. Figures for the number of people buried there are estimates; the official history gives none.
Key facts
| Where | Former Tombe-Issoire quarries, today under the 14th arrondissement of Paris |
|---|---|
| When | Transfers 1785–1787, then to 1814, resumed 1840, last deposits 1860 |
| Consecrated | 7 April 1786, as the Paris Municipal Ossuary |
| Arranged | 1810–1814, by Louis-Étienne Héricart de Thury |
| Open to visitors | Since 1809; today run by Paris Musées |
| Number of dead | Not documented; “six million” is a popular estimate |
Episodes and articles
Shorts about this case will be listed here when they are published.
Documented / Disputed
- Documented: Dates of the transfers, the consecration and the opening (official Catacombs site).
- Disputed: The total number of people whose bones lie there.
Further reading
- Catacombes de Paris, “Site history”. catacombes.paris.fr.
- Catacombes de Paris, “The ossuary”. catacombes.paris.fr.
Series: Death Customs. All case pages: Case pages index. How we work: Editorial Standards.
