At the heart of the capital's largest cemetery, Père-Lachaise, an enormous mausoleum overlooks the neighboring tombs of the 19th division. In this majestic tomb lies Elisabeth Alexandrovna Strogonoff-Dominoff, a countess of Russian origin. Behind the beauty of this funerary monument, however, lurks a dark urban legend.
It is said that, in a will deposited with a Parisian notary, the Countess indicated that she would bequeath a fortune equivalent to two million roubles to anyone who agreed to spend 365 days and 366 nights in her vault. During this period, the person would have to stay close to the coffin and not leave it under any circumstances. "She was not averse to having expensive food next to her, or to reading amusing books. But you couldn't leave her for a second. She made this an express condition of her generosity."
Adventurous souls would have tried their luck, but none would have managed to make it this far without going mad. According to obscure rumors, this tomb actually housed a direct entrance to... the underworld. Although some daredevils have subsequently offered to keep the deceased company, the cemetery refusesto give in to the request.
