We were right down the road from the Pantheon.

It sit next door to one of the Universities so we sat down among the students and ate our snack.

YUMMMMMMM

When we were done we headed into the Pantheon.

Another massive ornate building. Built by Louis the 15th, who wanted to be known as the most Christian King of France. It was completed after his death, after the death of Louis the 14th, during the French Revolution. It was built to be a cathrdral in monument to St. Genieve, the Patron Saint of Paris. BUT, it was instead taken over as a national monument to “great men of France.” Ironic since it was built to in monument to an amazing powerful woman.

The first mural that met us as we entered was of a man with his head cut off, so that was cool.

Like most cathedrals it was one giant room with smaller rooms off to each end.

And although the all the murals were religious, all the statues were nationalist, and reminded me a lot of the Bronze Communist statues in Albania.

A beautiful mosaic. But that ladies eyes tell the whole story, she like, “whaaaa?”

The murals of course told the life of and ministry of St. Genevieve.

She was called by God as a young girl.

She went about doing good.

In 451 she led a “prayer marathon”that was said to have saved Paris by diverting Attlia the Hun away from the city. When the Germanic king Childeric I besieged the city in 464, she acted as an intermediary between the city and its besiegers, collecting food and convincing Childeric to release his prisoners.

Here she is panted at her death. THe image was criticized at the time because it was too real. Not mystical enough.

They had an amazing mini model.

And statues of famous french men.

Down to the catacomes. Where the great Men of France were to be buried. Sometimes people were buried and then removed because things came out after they died about how gross they were.

 

Voulaire was actually exhumed and then RE buried here.

Here the heart of Leon Gambetta, in the red urn.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/L%C3%A9on_Gambetta

Victor Hugo is burried here, and also:

Marie and Pierre Curie.

 

 

IN the basement there is also some interesting images, like this one of when the cathedral was first built.

It was meant to be a functional church, so there are areas left empty and unused.

 

They had a few shelves and a small reading library with Victor Hugo books, in memory of the author buried there.

Back outside again.