With the Pantheon, architect Jacques-Germain Soufflot met Louis XV’s wish to glorify the monarchy in the form of a church dedicated to Saint Geneviève, the patron saint of Paris. The edifice was deconsecrated during the Revolution in 1791 and renamed the Pantheon. 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 etc.Open:> 1st April to 30th September: from 10 a.m. to 6.30 p.m.> 1st October to 31st March: from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Last admission 45 minutes before closing time. Closed:> 1st January, 1st May and 25th December. Admission fees: Adults : 8,5€; Concessions (18 to 25) = 5,50 €; Free admission: minors under 18*; Free admission: 18-25 years old* (citizens of one of the 27 countries of the EU or are non-European permanent residents of France) * excluding school groups