{"id":26265,"date":"2024-08-06T11:23:26","date_gmt":"2024-08-06T11:23:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.exp1.com\/?p=25658"},"modified":"2024-08-06T11:23:26","modified_gmt":"2024-08-06T11:23:26","slug":"visiting-the-pantheon-in-paris-what-to-see-inside-and-out","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.exp1.com\/blog\/visiting-the-pantheon-in-paris-what-to-see-inside-and-out\/","title":{"rendered":"Visiting the Panth\u00e9on in Paris: What to See Inside and Out"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Yes, there’s a Pantheon in Paris.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Somehow despite being located near major tourist hotspots like the Luxembourg Gardens and Cluny Museum, the Panth\u00e9on tends to fly under the radar when it comes to Paris attractions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Yet it’s a beautiful monument, worth exploring inside and out if you have the time on your tour of Paris. In this guide, I’ll share a little about this monument’s history, what you can see inside and out at the Panth\u00e9on, and tips to help you prepare for your visit.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Paris Panth\u00e9on: Visiting the “Other” Pantheon of Europe<\/h2>\n\n\n
\n
\"Pantheon<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n

When starry-eyed travelers talk about seeing the Pantheon and being awed by its grandeur, they’re probably talking about the one in Rome. That’s not to say the Panth\u00e9on in Paris isn’t just as grand, but the Italian version is arguably the more famous of the two.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

They share some similarities. Both were built for a religious purpose originally and have since become well-known tourist attractions. Their look is similar from the outside, too, featuring columns, a dome, and a triangular pediment. And that’s no accident \u2014 the one in Paris was modeled on the original in Rome.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Paris Panth\u00e9on, however, doesn’t date to the 2nd century. It’s much more modern, built in the 1700s. The style of architecture is called neoclassical precisely because it draws from the classical motifs of antiquity, revived (made new, or “neo”) several centuries later.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Why Paris Has a Panth\u00e9on<\/h2>\n\n\n
\n
\"The<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n

It all started in the mid 1700s when King Louis XV got sick. When he survived, he was so grateful, he built a church dedicated to St. Genevieve, who had an abbey on the site where the Panth\u00e9on now stands. Louis’ plan was for the new church to be far grander than the older abbey.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Construction was a slow process. It took over three decades to finish, from 1758 to 1790, partially because Louis was quite the spendthrift and the project kept running out of funds.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The timing of completion turned out to be awkward. It was within months of the beginning of the French Revolution, and Louis had already died (back in the \u201970s). So instead of being a temple for the patron saint of Paris, the Panth\u00e9on was repurposed as a temple for liberty and the great French scientists, philosophers, and others who upheld its cause.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Famous Folks Buried at the Panth\u00e9on<\/h2>\n\n\n
\n
\"Tomb
Credit: Marko Kudjerski \/ CC BY 2.0<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n

With its new purpose, the Panth\u00e9on became a mausoleum for famous French citizens. Over 70 souls are buried here, but a few are better known than others.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Here are some graves you may want to visit when you go.<\/p>\n\n\n\n