The Pantheon Is Worth Visiting, Even If It's A Bit Strange

In 1744 King Louis XV was miraculously healed by Paris's patron saint, Saint Genevieve.  In thanks, he replaced her ruined church with a bigger, better one.  Except that by the time the church was completed in 1791, it was the middle of the French Revolution, and the revolution was more into secularism than religion.

It was turned into a mausoleum honoring the "Champions of French Liberty," including such folks as Voltaire, Rousseau, and others.  

The line to get into the Pantheon was quite long and moving slowly.  So I whipped out my phone, went to the website, and purchased two tickets while standing in line on the grand porch.  Having the two tickets allowed us to bypass the long line, join the short, rapidly moving line for people with pre-purchased tickets.

So, here's my question.  Many of the people standing in loser no-ticket line are younger (considerably so) than we are.  Why didn't these people who do everything on their phones whip out their phones, purchase tickets, and avoid the slow line?  If a couple of folks born during the Kennedy Administration could figure it out, why can't these children of the '80s, 90s, and even 00s get it done?

(Editor: Do I detect a bit of a self-satisfied air?  Writer: Yes, yes you do.  I just had to refrain from spiking the phone on the marble in celebration.)

Once inside, the murals on the walls depict St. Genevieve saving Paris from Attila the Hun, St. Louis, Joan of Arc's life arc, Clovis, and Charlemagne.  

Under the dome, there are statues to Rousseau, French Generals, Orators (kind of the late night TV show hosts of their day), and Diderot (sorry, I have no idea who he is and I'm not going to look him up.)

Okay, I gave in and looked him up -- Diderot was a French philosopher, art critic, and writer who was a moving force in the founding and writing of the Encyclopedia, representing the Enlightenment.

There was monuments to French writers and other French heroes, as well as the grand Convention Nationale Monument, which has "Live free or die" on its base.  I bet they didn't even pay royalties to New Hampshire for stealing their motto.

We went below and wandered the massive crypt, which includes Rosseau, Voltaire, Victor Hugo, Alexandre Dumas, Marie Curie, WWII Resistance Hero Jean Moulin, American Josephine Baker, Louis Braille, Soufflot (the inventor of the souffle).  

(Editor: Soufflot was NOT the inventor of the souffle, but instead the architect who built the Pantheon.  Writer: Well, with a name like that, I had to scramble to come up with something!)

By the way, Baker was an African American singer-entertainer who moved to France and became a WWII spy for the Allies.

We did not go up the Dome, as the line was long, but apparently we missed out on some impressive views.

If you've got limited time in Paris, I wouldn't make the case to go to the Pantheon, but if you have the time, sure, why not?