The haunting history of the Paris Catacombs - Stephanie H. Smith (Level 1)

In 1780, it rained a lot in Paris. A wall broke in a house. Dead bodies from a full cemetery fell inside. People were very scared. They thought bad smells caused sickness. Paris had too many dead bodies in city cemeteries. The government needed a safe place for them. Under the city, there were old, empty stone mines. In 1785, workers started moving the bones to these dark tunnels. They moved millions of bones at night. Later, a famous leader named Napoleon wanted to make the tunnels look nice. In 1809, workers organized the skulls and bones into neat walls. These tunnels became the Paris Catacombs. Today, the Catacombs hold about six million bodies. Rich and poor people rest together in the same place. Many tourists visit this underground area every year. It shows us that everyone is equal at the end of life.