Why did Paris move millions of skeletons into a vast underground labyrinth?
In short: Discover the origins of the Paris Catacombs, a massive subterranean network created to solve a gruesome public health crisis. This video explores how an overcrowded 18th-century cemetery forced the city to relocate millions of remains beneath the streets.
For centuries, the Cemetery of the Innocents served as the primary burial ground for Parisians. By the 18th century, the site had become dangerously overcrowded, emitting foul odors that alarmed local residents. Fearing a public health catastrophe, citizens petitioned the government to intervene.
The resulting solution was the creation of the Paris Catacombs, a sprawling underground network designed to house the remains of millions. This transition transformed a city-wide sanitation problem into one of the most haunting historical sites in existence.
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Sources
- Summary by Intellect · source: The haunting history of the Paris Catacombs - Stephanie H. Smith
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