No other place in Paris France is the nationalistic spirit of the French paid such honorable tribute as is given in the Paris Pantheon. While the Louvre may be the most famous museum that displays the history of France and the rest of the world, the Paris Pantheon serves as a solemn reminder of the sacrifices and contributions paid by some of the most important people that defined the history of France. The Paris Pantheon is located in the Latin Quarter in the city of Paris. The Pantheon in Paris is a building that serves as a mausoleum for the heroes of the French Revolution, famous French philosophers, French leaders and many important French citizens. The building does not just stand as a mausoleum. The Paris Pantheon host many paintings, statues, artifacts and art that represents the history of France. In the center of the Paris Pantheon is an astonishing replica of the legendary Foucault Pendulum. We explored the Paris Pantheon during the summer of 2018.
Unlike so many of the famous tourist spots in Paris such as the Eiffel Tower and Louvre Museum, the lines to enter the Pantheon in Paris are almost non existent most of the time. We waited on line for about two minutes before we were allowed to enter the Pantheon. I paid 9 Euro for admission. My 16 year old son was allowed in for free. The Pantheon opens at 10:00 am in the morning and closes at 6:30 pm Monday through Friday from April through September. The hours from October through March are almost exactly the same with the building simply closing just thirty minutes earlier at 6:00 pm.
Visitors enter the main floor which is just above street level. Tourist climb a set of stairs outside the building to reach the front entrance. The main floor is wide open. The ceilings are high and lined with beautiful artworks. The dome at the center of the building is daunting. There is plenty of space to explore the artworks and statues in relative comfort. Photographs are allowed on the main floor. While exploring the main floor, one is easily struck by the nationalism present in the statues and art. If your a traveler from another country, it is a remarkable experience to get a sense of another country’s spirit, pride and history. It is one of the great experiences of traveling if one has open eyes.
At the center of the main floor is a replica of the Foucault Pendulum. The original Foucault Pendulum was on display at the Smithsonian in Washington D.C . However it is currently being housed at the The Musée des Arts et Métiers in Paris. Nonetheless, the Foucault Pendulum was a breathtaking achievement in the sciences by Léon Foucault. The purpose of Foucault’s Pendulum was to demonstrate the rotation of the earth. As you stand in front of the exact replica of the pendulum at the Paris Pantheon, you can’t help but be taken back by your own relative size in time and space when staring at a demonstration of the earth’s orbit. It is an astonishing display of science made even more breathtaking by coming to the realization that this was achieved in 1851.
Foucault Pendulum Photo: Brian Kachejian ©2018
The Paris Pantheon serves as a mausoleum to many French Citizens who contributed significantly to the history of France. Towards the back end of the main floor are signs that read crypt with an arrow. There are stairs that lead into the basement from the Pantheon’s main floor This is where the remains of the French Citizens are buried. The lower floor is cold and dimly lit. There is a certain smell to the crypt that is a bit unsettling. We refrained from taking pictures of the actual caskets and and statues. It just did not feel respectful to those who had died in the French Revolution and all the others who had contributed to the history of France. The crypt holds the remains of such notable historic figures such as Jean-Jacques Rousseau, Victor Hugo, Voltaire and so many more. There is a wall that pays tribute to the heroes of The French Revolution. The wall has hundreds of names inscribed on plaques. The only picture we took was of the hallways leading in and out so that readers can get a sense of what we are talking about.
Mausoleum Hallway – Photo: Brian Kachejian ©2018
The Pantheon in Paris is place that we highly recommend to visit. It is one of the most pure places in France that pays tribute to the history of the nation. It is inexpensive to visit and not that crowded. The Pantheon is located directly in the heart of the city. Its exact location is at Place du Panthéon, 75005 Paris, France. The area is known as The Latin Quarter in Paris. There is a google map at the end of the article that displays the exact location of the Paris Pantheon.
Paris Pantheon Interior Photos: Brian Kachejian ©2018