The Catacombs of Palermo and Paris were established for very different reasons. The older of the two, Palermo, has religious roots. Located beneath the Capuchin monastery, it was originally meant to be a place for deceased Friars and eventually became a resting place for nobility and high-status individuals. Contrarily, the Parisian municipal ossuary was a practical solution to the overpopulation and diseases of the city cemeteries, later it also housed the executed "traitors" from the French Revolution. Bodies came from all rungs of society including famous people. Read more to find out about the social, religious and political significance of each location.