The Panthéon of Paris stands atop the Sainte-Geneviève hill, in the Latin Quarter of the 5th arrondissement. The Panthéon is dedicated to the memory of the men and women who have shaped French history since the Revolution. Near the Panthéon stand the Saint-Étienne-du-Mont church and the splendid rue de la Montagne Sainte-Geneviève, the Sainte-Geneviève Library, and, just across the Place du Panthéon, Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne University. The Panthéon is one of the most visited monuments in Paris, no doubt thanks to its historical significance and its cross-shaped architectural splendor.
Highlights
The Dome of the Panthéon
Beyond serving as a mausoleum, the Panthéon's dome is famous for another reason: it's where Léon Foucault suspended his 28-kg spherical pendulum from a 67-meter cable to demonstrate the rotation of the Earth. The dome reaches a height of 83 meters. It's built of structures stacked one atop another, similar to those of St Paul's Cathedral in London. Before the Eiffel Tower was built, the Panthéon's dome was for a long time the tallest structure in Paris.
Foucault's Pendulum
Foucault's pendulum, named after the French physicist Jean Bernard Léon Foucault, was designed as an experiment to demonstrate the rotation of the Earth through the effect of the Coriolis force. It's a long pendulum free to swing in any direction over several hours. The first Foucault pendulum was presented to the public in 1851, made of a 28-kg sphere suspended from the dome of the Panthéon in Paris on a 67-meter-long wire.
The Church of Saint-Étienne-du-Mont
The church of Saint-Étienne-du-Mont is one of the most beautiful churches in Paris and stands on the Sainte-Geneviève hill, near the Panthéon. The building's facade is highly original, distinguished by its curved axis. Inside, the rood screen features a finely carved white marble slab. In this church in 1997, Pope John Paul II celebrated Mass for World Youth Day.
The View from the Dome
From the top of the Panthéon's dome, you can enjoy a unique 360-degree view of the city of Paris.
Infos pratiques
Tips
To avoid the lines, buy your tickets online, especially during the Christmas holidays (December 27-31), Easter, and the July 14th and August 15th long weekends. Admission is free for visitors under 27 who are nationals of a European Union member state; you simply need to queue to get your free entry ticket. Admission is also free for those under 18 accompanied by an adult.
How to get there
The easiest way to reach the Panthéon in Paris is to take metro line 10 and get off at the "Maubert-Mutualité" station. You can also get there via RER B, stopping at the "Luxembourg" station, or by bus on lines 21, 27, 38, 84, 85, 89.
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