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The Paris Catacombs


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Under the streets of Paris, France, the catacombs are home to more than six million people, or rather, skeletons. They were established around 1786 and have been open to the public since 1809 (by appointment). They were mainly used as mass graves for plague victims, but later served as an underground bunker during the insurrection for the liberation of Paris in 1944 and at one point, a movie theatre. While there are multiple entrances, they have since been filled and yellow-taped, forbidding entry. It is now a museum and tourist attraction that can only be entrered from one doorway. It is incredibly gothic, from the labyrinthine layout and claustrophobic spaces to the rumors of lost souls haunting the hallways. It confronts all who enter with the inevitability of death as the sign at the entrance reads, "Arrête! C'est ici l'empire de la Morte " ("Stop! The empire of Death lies here"). Another particularly gothic and eerie aspect of the Catacombs are the rumored cult activities within. There are rumors of Satanic ceremonies and even the existence of a lost society. While it is unknown of these rumors hold truth, they add to the catacombs’ mystique. Add in the place's dark history as a place of war and death, the Catacombs become a place of terror and confusion.

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Gothic Afterlives Gallery


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Submitted by Dee Cohen on Thu, 04/03/2025 - 12:32

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