par ## Description
The Cimetière de Charonne stands as one of Paris’s most historically significant yet intimate burial grounds, far from the romanticized list of famous 19th-century artists and writers fabricated in earlier content. Located adjacent to the Saint-Germain-de-Charonne church in the 20th arrondissement, this cemetery represents a rare surviving example of a medieval parish cemetery that has retained its original connection to its church – a distinction it shares with only Saint-Pierre de Montmartre in all of Paris.
Dating back to medieval times, the cemetery is believed to be as old as the 12th-century church it surrounds. This remarkable continuity makes it a precious window into pre-modern Parisian burial practices, when each parish maintained its own cemetery adjacent to the church, fostering a close relationship between the living and the dead that characterized medieval Christian communities.
The cemetery’s modern history began in 1791 when it became a municipal cemetery of the independent village of Charonne. Remarkably, it escaped the provisions of Napoleon’s decree of June 12, 1804, which prohibited burials within towns and villages – a decree that led to the creation of new suburban cemeteries like Père-Lachaise. This exemption allowed Charonne to maintain its traditional burial practices even as Paris modernized around it.
Following expansions in 1845 and 1859, the cemetery’s character changed dramatically when Charonne was annexed to Paris in 1860. From its original 1.5 hectares, the cemetery was reduced to just 0.42 hectares (approximately half a hectare) in 1879, yet it maintains a capacity of more than 650 graves within this compact space.
The cemetery gained particular historical significance in 1897 when, during demolition work on an annex, nearly 800 skeletons were discovered still clothed in military uniforms. Examination of uniform buttons identified these remains as fédérés – soldiers who fought with the Paris Commune insurrection – who were summarily executed and hastily buried in May 1871. These martyrs of the Commune were reinterred in an unmarked mass grave along the cemetery’s south wall, adding a layer of revolutionary history to this ancient burial ground.
Listed as a historical monument since September 18, 1964, the Cimetière de Charonne is now affiliated with the management of Père-Lachaise Cemetery while maintaining its distinct identity. Its particular charm lies in its intimate atmosphere and the unique preservation of the medieval relationship between church and cemetery, offering visitors a glimpse of Parisian life that predates the grand boulevards and les monuments of the modern city.
### Key Features
– **Medieval Origins**: Cemetery as old as the 12th-century Saint-Germain-de-Charonne church
– **Rare Survival**: One of only two Paris churches retaining its original cemetery
– **Historical Layers**: Site of Paris Commune martyrs’ mass grave discovered in 1897
– **Compact Design**: Just 0.42 hectares containing over 650 graves
– **Monument Historique**: Protected status since 1964
### Accessibility and Amenities
The Cimetière de Charonne offers a more intimate cemetery experience:
– **Church Integration**: Direct access through Saint-Germain-de-Charonne church grounds
– **Historical Character**: Authentic medieval cemetery atmosphere preserved
– **Limited Facilities**: Basic access reflecting its historic nature and small size
– **Administrative Support**: Managed through Père-Lachaise Cemetery administration
– **Community Connection**: Still serves local parish maintaining living traditions
### Planning Your Visit
**Best Times to Visit**: Early morning or late afternoon provides the most atmospheric experience of this intimate cemetery. Sundays after church services offer insight into its continuing role in parish life.
**Average Visit Duration**: 30-45 minutes allows for appreciation of the cemetery’s compact but historically rich environment, longer if combined with church visit.
**Recommended Itinerary**: Begin at the Saint-Germain-de-Charonne church to understand the medieval parish context, explore the cemetery’s medieval sections, locate the south wall mass grave of Commune martyrs, then appreciate how this small space encapsulates centuries of Parisian history.
**Historical Context**: The cemetery represents the last vestige of medieval Charonne village, demonstrating how Paris absorbed surrounding communities while sometimes preserving their most sacred spaces.
**Cultural Significance**: This cemetery embodies the continuity of Parisian community life from medieval times through the Commune to the present, showing how local history persists within the modern metropolis. Its survival challenges narratives of urban modernization by preserving spaces where past and present, sacred and revolutionary, coexist in less than half a hectare of consecrated ground.