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Holy Innocents' Cemetery

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287: 229: 351: 359: 29: 1007: 279: 225:, (1180–1223) he commissioned a three-meter-high wall that fully enclosed the cemetery. This was done to limit outsiders coming in and to separate it from market activities located nearby. Les Innocents had begun as a cemetery with individual sepulchers, but by then had become a site for mass graves. People were buried together in the same pit (a pit could hold about 1,500 dead at a time); only when it was full would another be opened. 779: 331:
to move the parish cemeteries out of the city were resisted by the church, which was operating from burial fees. To reduce the number of burials, the price of burials was increased. After a prolonged period of rain in spring 1780, conditions became untenable. On 4 September 1780, an edict forbade
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was painted on the back wall of the arcade below the charnel house on the south side of the cemetery. It was one of the earliest and best-known depictions of this theme. It was destroyed in 1669 when this wall was demolished to allow the narrow road behind it to be widened.
324:, inspectors recorded accounts of the difficulties in conducting business in the area due to the unsanitary conditions of the cemetery, caused by overuse and incomplete decomposition of bodies. 637: 335:
Bodies were exhumed and the bones were moved to the Catacombs in 1786. Many bodies had incompletely decomposed and had reduced into large deposits of fat ("corpse wax", or
309:, that had withered for months, began to green again near an image of the Virgin. That was interpreted by Parisians as a sign of divine blessing and approval to the 1203: 792: 176:. It was closed because of overuse in 1780, and in 1786 the remaining corpses were exhumed and transported to the unused subterranean quarries near 1193: 843: 981: 172:
that was used from the Middle Ages until the late 18th century. It was the oldest and largest cemetery in Paris and had often been used for
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along the cemetery walls to relieve the overcrowding of the mass graves; bones from the graves were excavated and then deposited here.
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Sophie Oosterwijk (2008). "Of dead kings, dukes and constables. The historical context of the Danse Macabre in late-medieval Paris".
719: 370:, which had been erected in 1549 next to the church, was dismantled and rebuilt in the center of the new market. Now known as the " 1157: 1122: 1112: 1097: 612: 1102: 1087: 1041: 1147: 1142: 931: 836: 310: 214:, and the associated church in the 12th century. It was located next to the central market (the original location of 1056: 1031: 202:) from the attached church of the Holy Innocents that was demolished at the same time as the cemetery was cleared. 866: 1117: 1066: 478: 385:
until the eighteenth century the Holy Innocents' Cemetery had been the repository of corpses from 22 parishes in
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The fountain as it appeared in 1791 when the French constitution was proclaimed on the Marché des Innocents
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video game, set in 1789–94, as the cemetery is being closed down and the bodies moved to the catacombs.
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first encounters them, and they remain there until shortly before the cemetery is finally destroyed.
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The church was destroyed in 1787 and the cemetery was replaced by a herb and vegetable market. The
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The Fontaine des Innocents at its original location in the 17th century (19th-century engraving)
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The cemetery and the Catacombs to which the remains were relocated play an important part in
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The destruction of the church and removal of the cemetery at Les Innocents is the subject of
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The Holy Innocents' Cemetery, c. 1550. The Church of the Holy Innocents, bordering the
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In the 14th and 15th centuries, citizens constructed arched structures called
1172: 1137: 901: 807: 794: 590: 409: 340: 271: 248: 234: 116: 103: 498:, the main character Jean-Baptiste Grenouille was born here on 17 July 1738. 177: 278: 537: 439: 382: 936: 821: 401:, died on the roads, or were crippled at the nearby crossroads of the " 189: 173: 148: 412:
today as the present location contains buildings, arcades, and shops.
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burying corpses in Les Innocents and in all other Paris cemeteries.
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coven of vampires resides in the Cimetière des Innocents when
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The market in the area of the Holy Innocents cemetery in 1850
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The cemetery and its environs appear prominently in the
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In the Cemetery, on Sunday, 24 August 1572, at noon, a
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that was begun on the evening of the same day against
298:made several night visits in the cemetery (and the 551:"How the Paris Catacombs Solved a Cemetery Crisis" 579:Journal of the British Archaeological Association 576: 397:victims, and various unknowns who drowned in the 389:, including the remains of those who died at the 1170: 210:Sources describe the burial ground, then called 522: 405:", for a total of about two million Parisians. 381:At its closure, it was estimated that from the 254:Between August 1424 and Lent 1425, during the 192:district now covers the site of the cemetery. 837: 195:The cemetery took its name (referring to the 572: 570: 1093:Bretteville-sur-Laize Canadian War Cemetery 1204:Cemeteries established in the 12th century 1108:Lafayette Escadrille Cemetery and Memorial 1083:Aisne-Marne American Cemetery and Memorial 844: 830: 736: 262:ruled Paris as Regent after the deaths of 1153:St. Mihiel American Cemetery and Memorial 1128:Oise-Aisne American Cemetery and Memorial 703: 567: 362:The Fontaine des Innocents today (detail) 851: 613:"Vesalius, the father of modern anatomy" 357: 349: 285: 277: 227: 1158:Suresnes American Cemetery and Memorial 1123:Normandy American Cemetery and Memorial 1113:Lorraine American Cemetery and Memorial 1098:Brittany American Cemetery and Memorial 1171: 538:https://vads.ac.uk/large.php?uid=90224 518: 516: 514: 512: 1194:12th-century establishments in France 1103:Epinal American Cemetery and Memorial 825: 720:"You (posthumously) light up my life" 548: 1148:Somme American Cemetery and Memorial 1143:Rhone American Cemetery and Memorial 751: 415: 1184:Roman Catholic cemeteries in France 683:R.F. Ruttan, J.F. Marshall (1917). 525:"Cimetière des INNOCENTS (disparu)" 523:Philippe Landru (7 February 2008). 509: 13: 1088:Bény-sur-Mer Canadian War Cemetery 14: 1215: 1199:1780s disestablishments in France 771: 1138:Orry-la-Ville Dutch War Cemetery 1057:Protestant Cemetery, Montpellier 1005: 777: 549:Meier, Allison C. (2019-07-23). 27: 1118:Meuse-Argonne American Cemetery 1067:Russian Orthodox Cemetery, Nice 754:"Pure by Andrew Miller: review" 745: 730: 692:Journal of Biological Chemistry 663:"Paris' Les Innocents cemetery" 712: 685:"The Composition of Adipocere" 676: 655: 630: 605: 542: 531: 311:St. Bartholomew's Day Massacre 162:Cimetière des Saints-Innocents 1: 1133:Orglandes German war cemetery 1052:Protestant Cemetery, Bordeaux 737:Trouilleux, Rodolphe (1997). 705:10.1016/S0021-9258(18)86795-3 502: 345:soap made from human corpses 7: 232:Charnier with mural of the 168:) is a defunct cemetery in 10: 1220: 752:Kyte, Holly (2011-06-16). 408:There are no signs of the 339:), chiefly in the form of 205: 1075: 1062:Jewish cemetery, Besançon 1014: 1003: 982:Sainte-Geneviève-des-Bois 859: 741:. Parigramme. p. 11. 294:The well known anatomist 256:Anglo-Burgundian alliance 200:Massacre of the Innocents 144: 132: 93: 83: 71: 51: 46: 42: 26: 21: 16:Cemetery in Paris, France 1042:Marseille (Saint-Pierre) 724:Scientific American blog 591:10.1179/174767008x330563 461:Those Who Hunt the Night 376:Joachim-du-Bellay Square 158:Holy Innocents' Cemetery 22:Holy Innocents' Cemetery 784:Cimetière des Innocents 644:(in French). 2007-08-03 186:place Joachim-du-Bellay 166:Cimetière des Innocents 37:, is in the background. 428:Assassin's Creed Unity 374:", it still stands on 368:Fountain of the Nymphs 363: 355: 291: 283: 238: 1032:Lyon (La Guillotière) 1027:Grenoble (Saint Roch) 372:Fountain of Innocents 361: 353: 289: 281: 231: 853:Cemeteries in France 808:48.86056°N 2.34778°E 786:at Wikimedia Commons 320:During the reign of 300:Gibbet of Montfaucon 268:Charles VI of France 260:John Duke of Bedford 1179:Cemeteries in Paris 804: /  483:Lestat de Lioncourt 221:Under the reign of 113: /  1047:Reims (Saint-Remi) 1022:Cannes (Grand Jas) 474:The Vampire Lestat 364: 356: 292: 284: 264:Henry V of England 239: 1166: 1165: 987:Sainte-Marguerite 932:Neuilly-sur-Seine 813:48.86056; 2.34778 782:Media related to 416:In modern fiction 403:Court of miracles 270:, a mural of the 154: 153: 1211: 1189:History of Paris 1009: 907:Levallois-Perret 846: 839: 832: 823: 822: 819: 818: 816: 815: 814: 809: 805: 802: 801: 800: 797: 781: 765: 764: 762: 761: 749: 743: 742: 739:Unexplored Paris 734: 728: 727: 726:. 15 April 2011. 716: 710: 709: 707: 689: 680: 674: 673: 671: 669: 659: 653: 652: 650: 649: 634: 628: 627: 625: 624: 617:Focus on Belgium 609: 603: 602: 574: 565: 564: 562: 561: 546: 540: 535: 529: 528: 520: 296:Andreas Vesalius 128: 127: 125: 124: 123: 118: 117:48.860°N 2.349°E 114: 111: 110: 109: 106: 31: 19: 18: 1219: 1218: 1214: 1213: 1212: 1210: 1209: 1208: 1169: 1168: 1167: 1162: 1071: 1010: 1001: 860:Parisian region 855: 850: 812: 810: 806: 803: 798: 795: 793: 791: 790: 774: 769: 768: 759: 757: 750: 746: 735: 731: 718: 717: 713: 687: 681: 677: 667: 665: 661: 660: 656: 647: 645: 636: 635: 631: 622: 620: 611: 610: 606: 575: 568: 559: 557: 547: 543: 536: 532: 521: 510: 505: 490:Patrick Süskind 418: 208: 121: 119: 115: 112: 107: 104: 102: 100: 99: 79: 62: 56: 38: 35:Rue Saint-Denis 17: 12: 11: 5: 1217: 1207: 1206: 1201: 1196: 1191: 1186: 1181: 1164: 1163: 1161: 1160: 1155: 1150: 1145: 1140: 1135: 1130: 1125: 1120: 1115: 1110: 1105: 1100: 1095: 1090: 1085: 1079: 1077: 1076:War cemeteries 1073: 1072: 1070: 1069: 1064: 1059: 1054: 1049: 1044: 1039: 1037:Lyon (Loyasse) 1034: 1029: 1024: 1018: 1016: 1012: 1011: 1004: 1002: 1000: 999: 994: 989: 984: 979: 974: 969: 964: 959: 954: 949: 944: 939: 934: 929: 924: 919: 914: 909: 904: 899: 897:Holy Innocents 894: 889: 884: 879: 874: 869: 863: 861: 857: 856: 849: 848: 841: 834: 826: 788: 787: 773: 772:External links 770: 767: 766: 744: 729: 711: 698:(2): 319–327. 675: 654: 629: 604: 585:(1): 131–162. 566: 541: 530: 507: 506: 504: 501: 500: 499: 492:'s novel 1985 486: 465: 458:'s novel 1988 456:Barbara Hambly 452: 432: 417: 414: 327:Two edicts by 249:charnel houses 207: 204: 152: 151: 146: 142: 141: 134: 130: 129: 97: 91: 90: 85: 81: 80: 75: 73: 69: 68: 53: 49: 48: 44: 43: 40: 39: 32: 24: 23: 15: 9: 6: 4: 3: 2: 1216: 1205: 1202: 1200: 1197: 1195: 1192: 1190: 1187: 1185: 1182: 1180: 1177: 1176: 1174: 1159: 1156: 1154: 1151: 1149: 1146: 1144: 1141: 1139: 1136: 1134: 1131: 1129: 1126: 1124: 1121: 1119: 1116: 1114: 1111: 1109: 1106: 1104: 1101: 1099: 1096: 1094: 1091: 1089: 1086: 1084: 1081: 1080: 1078: 1074: 1068: 1065: 1063: 1060: 1058: 1055: 1053: 1050: 1048: 1045: 1043: 1040: 1038: 1035: 1033: 1030: 1028: 1025: 1023: 1020: 1019: 1017: 1013: 1008: 998: 995: 993: 990: 988: 985: 983: 980: 978: 977:Saint-Vincent 975: 973: 970: 968: 967:Saint-Germain 965: 963: 960: 958: 955: 953: 952:Père Lachaise 950: 948: 945: 943: 940: 938: 935: 933: 930: 928: 925: 923: 920: 918: 915: 913: 910: 908: 905: 903: 902:Les Invalides 900: 898: 895: 893: 890: 888: 885: 883: 880: 878: 875: 873: 870: 868: 865: 864: 862: 858: 854: 847: 842: 840: 835: 833: 828: 827: 824: 820: 817: 785: 780: 776: 775: 755: 748: 740: 733: 725: 721: 715: 706: 701: 697: 693: 686: 679: 664: 658: 643: 639: 633: 618: 614: 608: 600: 596: 592: 588: 584: 580: 573: 571: 556: 552: 545: 539: 534: 526: 519: 517: 515: 513: 508: 497: 496: 491: 487: 484: 480: 476: 475: 470: 466: 463: 462: 457: 453: 450: 449: 445: 441: 437: 436:Andrew Miller 433: 430: 429: 424: 420: 419: 413: 411: 410:charnel house 406: 404: 400: 396: 392: 388: 384: 379: 377: 373: 369: 360: 352: 348: 346: 342: 341:palmitic acid 338: 333: 330: 325: 323: 318: 317:in the city. 316: 312: 308: 307:hawthorn bush 303: 301: 297: 288: 280: 276: 273: 272:Danse Macabre 269: 265: 261: 257: 252: 250: 246: 245: 237: 236: 235:Danse Macabre 230: 226: 224: 219: 217: 213: 203: 201: 198: 193: 191: 187: 183: 180:known as the 179: 175: 171: 167: 163: 159: 150: 147: 143: 139: 135: 131: 126: 122:48.860; 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Index


Rue Saint-Denis
Paris
France
Coordinates
48°51′36″N 2°20′56″E / 48.860°N 2.349°E / 48.860; 2.349
churchyard
Paris
mass graves
Montparnasse
Catacombs
place Joachim-du-Bellay
Les Halles
Biblical
Massacre of the Innocents
Philip II

Danse Macabre
charniers
charnel houses
Anglo-Burgundian alliance
John Duke of Bedford
Henry V of England
Charles VI of France
Danse Macabre


Andreas Vesalius
Gibbet of Montfaucon
hawthorn bush

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