The entrance portal of Pere-Lachaise cemetery in Paris with Latin inscriptions

The monumental entrance of Pere-Lachaise cemetery in Paris, the most famous and visited cemetery in the world. The neoclassical portal, designed by architect Etienne-Hippolyte Godde in 1825, features two pillars topped by decorative medallions with Latin inscriptions. The writings remind visitors of the sacred nature of the place and the equality of all men before death. Founded in 1804 at the behest of Napoleon Bonaparte, Pere-Lachaise owes its name to the confessor of Louis XIV, Father Francois de la Chaise, who resided on the estate where the cemetery was built.

Pere-Lachaise, entrance, cemetery, Paris, portal, neoclassical, France