The Dark Origins of the Paris Catacombs

The Paris Catacombs draw thousands of visitors a year, but few know the macabre tunnels' unusual history. While the tunnels are named after the Catacombs of Rome, which were built in the first century by Christians and Jews forced to perform their burial rites in secret, the catacombs of Paris were founded in the 18th century in response to two secular problems: sinkholes and . . .