The Revolution in 1789 transformed the monument into a temple for Great Men. During the turbulent years of the 19th century, as regimes changed, it alternated in its role as a religious and patriotic monument.

Since 1885, the year of Victor Hugo’s death and burial in the Pantheon, it has been the last resting place for the great writers, scientists, generals, churchmen and politicians who have made the history of France. The crypt houses the tombs of more than 70 illustrious figures including Voltaire, Jean-Jacques Rousseau, Emile Zola, Alexandre Dumas, Pierre and Marie Curie and, from 1 July 2018, Simone Veil.

Entrance to the Panthéon requires an admission fee, except for free admission on the first Sunday of every month from November through March. Guided group tours are available year-round.

From April through October (for an additional entrance fee), visitors may ascend to the Panthéon’s dome, where a colonnaded balcony provides a sensational viewpoint of the city’s landmarks. Panoramas extend from the Notre-Dame Cathedral and the Louvre in the foreground to the Eiffel Tower in the distance.