Paris, France

Summary of Pantheon

photo by gusto

Pantheon

Place du Panthéon, Paris, France
Paris, France
01-44-32-18-00

Erected between 1764 and 1790, this neoclassical building was commissioned by King Louis XV in honour of Saint-Genevieve who had cured him from a grave illness. The Revolution secularised it quickly and made it a Temple de la Raison. Today, visitors admire the doric columns of the crypt, the resting place of famous writers and philosophers such as Emile Zola, Victor Hugo, Jean-Jacques Rousseau, Voltaire, the scientists Pierre and Marie Curie, and Andre Malraux (minister under General Charles de Gaulles presidency). Its 83 metre high dome looks like that of Saint Pauls in London and that of the Invalides. The façade is inspired by the Roman Pantheon. The monument dedicated to Diderot and its frescoes of Saint-Genevieve are particularly fascinating. Admission:: adults (EUR 5.33),12-25 yrs (EUR 3.50), under-12s free

Reviews

Cold Comfort

Reviewed by Loricat on December 24, 2006

Loricat's rating:

"This church-turned-mausoleum is fraught with social, historical, religious, political, and architectural importance. Impressive from both outside and in, it is a crucial part of any tour of historical Paris. The underground crypts house the revered dead, the walls of the main temple are covered in historical murals, and Foucault’s Pendulum swings from the inside of the dome. This chilly edifice will fill a good hour of wandering, is close to many other sights on the Rive Gauche, and is one of the many attractions on the Paris Museum Pass."

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