About This Resource
The Paris Catacombs entrance features 131 spiral stairs descending 20 meters underground to the ossuary tunnels. The narrow spiral staircase creates a dramatic descent into the depths containing the arranged bones of over 6 million Parisians relocated from overcrowded cemeteries in the late 18th century. The stairs emphasize the transition from the world of the living to this underground realm of the dead. Visitors must climb the same spiral stairs to return to the surface. The catacombs stairs represent how staircases mark transitions to liminal spaces and underground worlds. The descent and ascent become integral to the visitor experience.
