Panthéon

Why go

The Panthéon combines an ambitious neoclassical building with a concentrated account of French public memory. Its portico, triple dome and crypt make the architecture as important as the names interred there, from Voltaire and Victor Hugo to Marie Curie. It suits a deliberate visit before exploring the surrounding 5th arrondissement.

What to look for

• A Greek-cross plan and Corinthian portico give the building its classical scale.
• The triple dome opens through an oculus to a painted inner dome.
• The crypt holds figures including Voltaire, Rousseau, Victor Hugo and Marie Curie.

The full story

Louis XV commissioned Jacques-Germain Soufflot to replace the ruined church of the Abbey of Sainte-Geneviève after recovering from illness. Work began in 1757 and continued slowly through financial difficulties; the building was completed in 1790 as the Revolution began. Its Greek-cross plan, Corinthian portico and nested triple dome were designed to combine classical form with a daring internal structure. In 1791 the National Constituent Assembly converted the church into a mausoleum for people judged to have served France, beginning with Mirabeau. The building has changed status more than once since then, but its role as a civic pantheon gives the crypt its force. The Foucault pendulum also belongs to this history: in 1851, Léon Foucault used a 67-metre pendulum beneath the central dome to demonstrate the Earth's rotation. Look up as well as down; the building's scientific and commemorative stories share the same space.

Useful to know

• Visit before or after a walk through the Latin Quarter, where the hilltop setting helps orientation.
• Leave time for both the main interior and the crypt; they tell different parts of the story.
• Check the national monuments website for current visitor arrangements.

Your next visit

Estimated · Declared scenario and planning estimates; no live opening, weather, queue or booking service.