Before Père Lachaise was built on the outskirts of Paris in the early 18th century, they had run out of room to bury the dead in the graveyards. However, since the cemetery is not consecrated, they had a difficult time getting people to be buried there. So they dug up some famous people and they reburied them at Père Lachaise.
The cemetery is very beautiful and park-like. The older portion of Père Lachaise has meandering pathways and it feels very natural. The newer portion has a grid and is very organized. You would think it would be easier to find things in the newer section but it was actually more difficult. The grids were so large that if you had to find someone in the middle you could easily get lost.
