| Paris has a fascinating underground world. Aside from the sewers (made famous in Les Misérables) and various old mines (three guesses where plaster of Paris originally came from) there are some very impressive catacombs. These are in fact mine tunnels lined with the bones of some 6 million dead Parisians, jumbled behind walls made of thigh bones. Here and there skulls have been set into the walls in decorative patterns. Columns supporting the roof are etched with somber sayings like: "Happy is he who always has the hour of his death in front of his eyes, and readies himself every day to die." |
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