The Pantheon is a building in the Latin Quarter in Paris, France.
First, it was a church dedicated to St. Genevieve, the patron saint of Paris in the Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox traditions.
Today Pantheon in Paris functions as a secular mausoleum containing the remains of distinguished French citizens such as Marie Curie, Pierre Curie, Victor Hugo, Alexandre Dumas, etc.
This article shares everything you should know before buying tickets for the Pantheon.
Top Pantheon Tickets
Table of contents
What is inside Pantheon Paris
Pantheon, which watches over the Latin quarter of Paris, is as beautiful inside as it is outside.
It is a stone and marble structure, and one of the first things you notice as you walk in is the inscription at the entrance, which reads: To great men, the grateful homeland.
You will also spot some of French sculptor Pierre-Jean David d’Angers’s best work in the pediment of the Panthéon.
He has sculpted the key liberal figures of France since the 18th century, grouped around a figure of La Patrie.
Once inside, you will see 22 Corinthian-inspired columns with mosaic decorations and painting scenes from French history.
Then there are the hallways leading to vaults where the French elites such as Victor Hugo, Alexandre Dumas, Jean Maulin, Pierre Curie, etc., are buried.
Don’t miss out on the beautiful canvas paintings depicting highlights in the life of Saint Genevieve, the birth of Christianity, and the French monarchy.
Visitors also get excited by the Foucault pendulum, which helped prove that the world rotates on its axis.
Dome of Pantheon Paris
The Parisian Pantheon’s Dome got inspired by St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome and St Paul’s Cathedral in London, and it is constructed entirely of stone.
The roof of the Pantheon consists of three domes, one within the other, with the painted ceiling, visible from below, on the second Dome.
A trip to the Pantheon in Paris can’t be complete without a visit to the Dome.
About 267 steps take you to the top – a tiring journey but worth it.
To go up to the rooftop, you need to buy tickets at the venue itself, which costs €2 per person.
Where to book tickets
Tickets for the Pantheon Paris are available online and at the attraction.
Online ticket prices tend to be cheaper than tickets at the attraction.
Booking online also helps you get exclusive discounts and offers.
When you buy online, you can avoid the long queues at the ticket counters.
Because sometimes the tickets get sold out quickly, booking early helps avoid last-minute disappointments.
How do online tickets work
Go to the Pantheon Paris booking page and choose your desired date and the number of tickets.
Upon payment, the tickets will be emailed to you.
Ticket printouts are not required.
On the day of your visit, show your smartphone ticket at the entrance and walk in.
Bring your official IDs.
Pantheon Paris tickets
With this ticket, discover the painting highlighting the life of Saint Genevieve, the emergence of Christianity, and the rise of the French monarchy.
Explore the crypt and see the tombs of Voltaire, Victor Hugo, Émile Zola, Louis Braille, and Marie Curie.
Access to the upper floor is not included, and you must buy a separate ticket for it.
You can purchase tickets to go up to the rooftop of Pantheon at the site for just €2.
Ticket Price (18+ years): €12
Pantheon and Paris Museum Pass
Paris Museum Pass is the most convenient and affordable pass as it provides access to 60 Parisian Museums, including the Pantheon.
Yes, that’s right, the Paris Museum Pass provides free entry to the Pantheon.
Some of the other attractions this Paris Pass can help you access are – the Louvre, Palace of Versailles, Arc de Triomphe, Centre Pompidou, etc.
You can buy this Pass for 2, 4 or 6 days and the price changes accordingly.
Pass Prices
2-day Pass: €70
4-day Pass: €85
6-day Pass: €99
If you also want free public transport along with free entry to 60+ Museums, check this out.
How to reach
The Pantheon is located in the Latin Quarter in Paris.
Address: Pl. du Panthéon, 75005 Paris, France. Get Directions
You can reach the Pantheon monument by public transport or car.
By Subway
The Cardinal Lemoine subway station (Subway Line: 10) is closest to the Pantheon (400 meters, one-third of a mile), and you can walk the distance in approximately six minutes.
By Train
The Paris RER consists of five express train lines (A, B, C, D, and E) connecting Paris to the surrounding suburbs.
If you are trying to get to the Pantheon from one of the suburbs, you must first reach the Luxembourg station, which is only 650 meters (half a mile) from the Pantheon.
By Bus
Bus numbers 21, 27, 83, 84, 85, and 89 can help you get to the Pantheon.
By Car
If you’re driving by car, turn on Google Maps and get started.
There are a few public car parking garages near the church to park vehicles.
Pantheon Paris hours
Pantheon Paris opens at 10 am, all through the year.
During the peak season of April to September, the Pantheon closes at 6.30 pm, and the rest of the year, it closes half an hour early – at 6 pm.
The last entry is always 45 minutes before closing time.
To visit the top of the Pantheon (the Dome), the timings are – 11 am, 12 pm, 1.30 pm, 2.30 pm, 3.30 pm, 4.30 pm, 5.15 pm.
On special days like Easter, Easter Monday, Ascension Day, 8 May, Whitsuntide, Whit Monday, 14 July, 15 August, 1 November, and 11 November, Pantheon’s regular timings change.
Pantheon in Paris remains closed on 1 January (New Year), 1 May (Labor Day), 25 Dec (Christmas), and on 17 June, it is shut in the morning.
How long does the Pantheon tour take
Pantheon Paris is a large building with lots to see, so most visitors end up spending 1 hour exploring.
If you love to get into the details and plan to use Pantheon’s official audio guide, you will need 90 minutes to explore the Parisian attraction.
If you want to go up the Pantheon’s Dome, you need a guide, and it costs extra.
Best time to visit Pantheon Paris
The best time to visit Pantheon is when it opens at 10 am.
During the early morning, the monument sees minimal foot traffic, allowing you ample time and space to leisurely explore every corner at your own pace.
Pantheon gets busy during peak summer months, so consider planning a trip during off season (November to March).
We also recommend a mid-week visit because, during the weekend, the Pantheon can get crowded.
If you get a chance to step out later in the day, visiting the Pantheon at night is also highly recommended.
Pantheon Paris at night
Tourists who have visited Pantheon in Paris believe that it is better at night.
After dark, the monument gets illuminated, and the view is totally different from what it is during the day.
At night, it is also less crowded.
Visiting Pantheon Paris for free
There are numerous ways to enter Pantheon Paris for free.
The entry is entirely free during the European Heritage Days, on the third weekend of September.
From 1 Jan to 31 March and from 1 Nov to 31 Dec, Pantheon allows free entry on the 1st Sunday of every month.
Kids below the age of 18 years and European Union nationals/ or residents below 25 can enter for free every day.
The Pantheon also allows free entry to primary and secondary teachers, disabled tourists, carers, and job seekers.
Note: Even if you have to pay for Pantheon tickets we suggest you do it because it is a highly rated attraction.
Paris City Pass can get you free access to 60+ tourist attractions and unlimited free rides in Metro, buses, and trains. Buy Paris City Pass
Audio guide for rent
The Parisian Pantheon has an excellent audio guide you can make use of during your visit.
The Pantheon audio guide costs €3, and you can rent them at the venue.
The duration of this audio tour is one and a half hours, and it is available in French, English, Spanish, Italian, German, Polish, Chinese, Korean, Japanese, Brazilian, and Russian.
The last audio guide gets issued at 5.15 pm.
Pantheon Paris facts
Over the years, Pantheon has only become more attractive to the tourists visiting Paris.
This has primarily been because of all the exciting facts about the Pantheon.
1. It was a church
Initially, the Pantheon Paris was to be Saint Genevieve’s church.
In 1791, the Constituent Assembly decreed that it was ‘to receive the great men of the epoch of the French Liberty.’
The Government of the time decided to bury exceptional Frenchmen (and women) at the Pantheon.
After that, it became the final resting place for men and women who put France on the map.
2. The Pantheon was built as a ‘thank you’ gesture
In 1744, King Louis XV was sick. However, he vowed that if he regained his health, he would replace the ruined church of the Abbey of St Genevieve with a building worthy of the patron Saint of Paris.
As luck would have it, he regained his health. Without losing much time, he commissioned the building.
3. Pantheon’s construction got delayed
In 1758, King Louis XV laid the foundation for the Pantheon.
However, France was going through a financial crisis around this period which slowed down the construction.
The remodeled Abbey of St. Genevieve was finally complete in 1790.
4. Pantheon in Rome was the inspiration
The portico, with 24 large Corinthian columns, was modeled after the Pantheon in Rome.
Above the entrance, it says AUX GRANDS HOMMES LA PATRIE RECONNAISSANTE, which when translated means “To great men, the grateful homeland.”
5. Scientific experiment was done in the Pantheon
Léon Foucault demonstrated an experiment in 1851 to prove that the world rotates on its axis by building a gigantic iron pendulum in the Pantheon.
The original pendulum is now at Musée des Arts et Métiers, and its copy is on display at the Pantheon.
6. It was home to ‘The Thinker’
From 1906 to 1922, the Panthéon in Paris was home to Auguste Rodin’s famous sculpture The Thinker.
Today the original marble copy of ‘The Thinker’ resides in Musee Rodin in Paris.
Sources
# Paris-pantheon.fr
# Introducingparis.com
# Parisinfo.com
# Wikipedia.org
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