Skeletons and Parks

In 1785, the Revolutionary Government of Paris responded to overcrowded and unsanitary cemeteries by moving the bones of 6 million Parisians into old limestone quarry tunnels in what was, at the time, the outskirts of the city. Over the course of decades, priests led processions of black-veiled, bone laden carts into the quarries and stacked the bones 80 feet deep and five feet high. Originally they were stacked haphazardly, but later someone realized an available opportunity and stacked the bones neatly, then began charging admission to see them. This is what is now known to all as the catacombs of Paris. Today, I took my first solo trip on the Paris metro to see them.



(Click on the ? to see a pic. Flash photos are not allowed but I found a photo on the web.)

Afterwards, I walked around town for a while and got a little lost. I happened upon a public garden, which was a several block long park in the middle of the street with flowers, playgrounds, and benches that were perfect for people watching and enjoying a chocolate filled croissant.