Have you ever passed something a thousand times and never even thought of entering to see what's inside? The Pantheon is such a building for me. The art of passing such an edifice was an integral part of my Paris routine.

 
It was only during this visit as I was walking to the market that I got distracted for just a moment and found myself walking across the street and up the stairs. This beautiful neo-classical building holds a carved dedication: "To the great men of the Fatherland."

 
 
And with this homage I walked through the largest doors I have ever seen in my life.

 
It is vast inside.

I couldn't figure out what this was. Was it a church? A museum? A government building?

Sitting just inside the entrance was a university student. It was just her and I at the moment. So I asked,"What is this place?"

"Ah,simply it's a temple to honor the great thinkers and writers of France. King Louis the XV(the 15th) became very sick. He nearly died. In his sick bed he prayed constantly to St. Genevieve ( the patron saint of Paris) to heal him. When he recovered he tore down the old broken church on this site and built her this cathedral in gratitude. By the time it was finished in 1791, the French revolution had started. The revolutionaries took it over to tell the story of their revolution which over threw the King.  Since this time many great philosophers, scientists, and writers are buried here in the crypt. The brains of France. Don't miss the crypt!"

So I followed the sun and what before my wondering eyes should appear?……

 
But Foucault's pendulum swinging in mid-air. The Foucault's pendulum. It was here in 1851 that Leon Foucault demonstrated the rotation of the earth.

I stood here for the longest time watching the earth and I rotate. 

 
As I made my way to the back of the Pantheon I couldn't help notice how they truly have honored the beloved writers of France. On either side of the building stand these very large doors. On both sides of the doors they have named all of the writer's who are no longer with us.

I stood there in amazement at the fact that the woman who loves books so much had completely missed all of these years,the building which honors writers.

 
From here on out it's "Tales from the Crypt." Don't cover your eyes. I assure you there is nothing scary down there. It's beautifully done. Though there are many people buried here who truly have contributed largely to France, there are many who have contributed to the world. Louis Braille, who created the system for blind people to read. 
 

Pierre and Marie Curie the great minds of Chemistry.

And then there is the man who changed everything concerning my trip to Paris. Please let me introduce you to the author of "The Hunchback of Notre Dame", and "Les Miserable", Victor Hugo.

He was the first person buried in the Pantheon. This is what the Pantheon looked like the day of his funeral.

His final resting place is shared with Alexandre Dumas "The Three Musketeers" and Emile Zola. It was after reading the biography of Victor Hugo near his grave that I realized that Victor Hugo loved his city so much that he held public office and more importantly saved one of the most beloved landmarks of Paris. It was right then that I knew I had to follow the path of Victor Hugo's Paris. 

So with the good intention of seeing Paris through the eyes of one who loved it greatly, I left the Pantheon to a famous view.
 

What is this famous landmark I mentioned? I'll be heading that way tomorrow and of course I hope you'll join me. Au revoir! ( till we see each other again)