Parc+Montsouris

= Parc Montsouris =

The Parc Montsouris is a public park in the 14th arrondissement (administrative district) on the southern edge of Paris. It was opened in 1869 and is currently one of the four largest urban parks. This park contains a lake, wide sloping lawns and many trees, shrubs and flowers. This stunning park was created by Emperor Napoleon lll. He wanted to create a place for Paris that provided greenery and recreation for the people of the growing city.

Before becoming a park, the land was occupied by quarries and included a network of tunnels of abandoned mines, which were filled with human skeletons. These tunnels were popularly known as the catacombs of Paris, where the remains of some six million Parisians had been moved at the end of the 18th century. Prior to constructing the park, about 800 skeletons were removed from the tunnels. Another well known story is that of a World War II French soldier, Pierre Durand. He was killed by a bomb in the park were a monument now stands near the lake in memory of this event. You'll also find that train tracks run right through the park. Parc Montsouris is also home to the meteorological observatory of Montsouris.

Today at the Parc Montsouris, there are many free concerts that are given from May to September at the bandstand. The Montsouris reservoir, which holds a third of the drinking water consumed by Parisians, is open to the public once a year, on European Heritage Days. You can also find many species of birds and trees in the park.