The Pantheon

Standing on Montagne Sainte-Geneviève in Paris, this masterpiece by the architect Soufflot is the resting place of a number of great men and women, and is also the home of some remarkable works of art.  
 

From Sainte-Geneviève's Church to the Pantheon

Close by the Parc Saint Séverin Hotel, Sainte-Geneviève's Church was built during the 18th century to house the relics of the French capital's patron saint. The architect Jacques-Germain Soufflot constructed a building in neo-classical style, opposite the Luxembourg Garden in the 5th arrondissement of Paris. During the French Revolution, the monument was transformed into a pantheon to celebrate the heroes of the nation. It later alternated between religious and secular functions before definitively becoming the pantheon of illustrious citizens of the fatherland after the war of 1870. The most illustrious military men are buried in the Invalides. On the Sainte-Geneviève site are the tombs of Voltaire, Jean-Jacques Rousseau, Victor Hugo, Sadi Carnot, Emile Zola, Jean Jaurès, Jean Moulin, Jean Monnet, Pierre and Marie Curie, André Malraux and Alexandre Dumas. The motto inscribed on the pediment of the Pantheon, "Aux grands hommes la patrie reconnaissante" ("The grateful fatherland to its great men") is in honour of its heroes. 

Art at the Pantheon

The Panthéon has preserved its original decoration, such as the large fresco on the Cupola made by Gros in 1811, depicting "The Apotheosis of Saint Geneviève", as well as the four paintings by the artist Gérard, symbolising the fatherland, death, glory and justice. During the 19th century, the finest artists of the period worked to embellish the site, celebrating saints and monarchs. At the beginning of the 20th century, other artists, such as Bouchard and Landowski, paid homage to unknown heroes. Inside the Pantheon, the copy of Foucault's famous pendulum, which allowed the astrophysicist to prove the movement of the rotation of the Earth, will soon be on public display. Lastly, to round off the visit, access to the Panthéon dome provides a magnificent panoramic view over the City of Light.