- The Pantheon is a Mausoleum in Paris built in the Neoclassical style for French Citizens who were noted for their achievements. It was completed between 1758-1790 CE.
- It is located in the Latin Quarter of Paris and is modelled on the Pantheon in Rome.
History
- The Pantheon lies on the Montagne Saint Genevieve, and was first conceived as a Church dedicated to St. Genevieve to house her relics by Louis XV of France. By the time it was completed in 1790, the French Revolution had taken power.
- Instead of a Church. the Marquis de Vilette suggested it become a Temple to Liberty, modelled on the Pantheon in Rome, with the ashes of the great men of France laid inside it.
- Consequently, the National Constituent Assembly voted in 1791 to change the Church into a Mausoleum.
- Notable French Citizens in the Mausoleum are: Voltaire, Victor Hugo, Emile Zola, Leon Gambetta, Jean Jaures, Jean Moulin, Jean Monnet, Marie Curie, Pierre Curie, Andre Malraux and Josephine Baker.
Photo and map: Le Pantheon, Paris