Hotels near The Panthéon

Originally built as a church dedicated to Saint Genevieve between 1758 and 1790, the Pantheon was repurposed during the French Revolution as a secular mausoleum for the nation's most distinguished figures. Its Neoclassical dome, modelled on St. Peter's in Rome, rises 83 metres and dominates the Left Bank skyline. The crypt holds the remains of Voltaire, Rousseau, Victor Hugo, Emile Zola, Marie Curie, Alexandre Dumas, and Simone Veil, among others. A replica of Foucault's Pendulum hangs from the dome, demonstrating the Earth's rotation in an experiment first conducted here in 1851.

Admission is EUR 11.50. Open daily from 10:00 to 18:00 (until 18:30 April through September). The colonnade gallery at the top of the dome opens seasonally and gives 360-degree views over Paris - it is less crowded than the Eiffel Tower or Arc de Triomphe rooftop viewpoints. The Pantheon is included in the Paris Museum Pass.

Pro Tip: Combine a visit with a walk down Rue Mouffetard, one of the oldest market streets in Paris, just five minutes east. The morning market (Tuesday through Sunday) sells cheese, charcuterie, and fresh produce - ideal for assembling a picnic lunch before heading to the Luxembourg Garden.