As Above, So Below

By Brynn Patrello, University of Wisconsin-Madison

When exploring Paris, its renowned beauty and romance are sure to captivate visitors. However, the life of the bustling city is starkly contrasted by the “Empire of Death” which lies 20 meters underneath. Built from the remains of abandoned quarries, a late 18th century ossuary, better known as the Catacombs, stretches almost 2,000 acres underneath the streets of Paris.

Visitors can tour the 1.5-kilometer circuit that is open to the public, though it is only a fraction of the 300 kilometers that make up the Catacombs. These tunnels are home to the remains of six million individuals, from lives spanning across centuries. A walk through the ossuary is a walk through history, facing your own mortality as you share a space with the bones of the deceased which line your path.

You might notice some pretty important information missing from this map. Where are the Catacombs?

At first glance, this map appears to be a simple satellite view of the city—until you shine UV light on it. That’s when the secret is revealed: the paths of the ossuary emerge, showing the underground network in striking detail.

To achieve this effect, the pathways were carefully hand-painted using UV-reactive paint, which remains invisible under normal light, but comes to life when exposed to ultraviolet light. This technique creates an interactive, print map that unveils the Catacombs, bringing to light the robust network of tunnels that span the southern part of Paris.

When using a UV-flashlight to see the details of the map, it creates an experience as if you were an adventurer in the tunnels, using a flashlight to explore the depths of the tunnel system. 

This map intends to emphasize how underneath your own feet, there is much more than just soil and grass. These tunnels are intersecting parks, hospitals, schools, even prisons! They run below our very feet, intertwined with our everyday lives. We go about our days without a second thought to the intricate, expansive network which lies below.