Palais de Justice, a former royal palace
The Palais de Justice, or Paris Courthouse, is a vast complex of buildings that includes the Conciergerie, the former medieval prison, located on the banks of the Seine.
The Palais de Justice was developed in the former royal palace on the Ile de la Cité, hence its name.
The Sainte-Chapelle, once the private chapel of King Louis IX (Saint-Louis), is now located in one of the inner courtyards of the Palais de Justice.
A magnificent wrought-iron gate in the Louis XVI style leads to the main entrance, known as the Cour du Mai.
Palais de Justice – Roman Governors’ Palace
The Île de la Cité has been the spiritual and historical heart of Paris since its founding in Celtic times.
Long before the Roman conquest, the Gallic tribe of the Parisii had indeed established their stronghold, Lutetia, on the small island nestled in a shallow branch of the Seine. The Parisii prospered, accumulating wealth and influence through hunting, fishing, and a flourishing river trade.
Lutetia continued to thrive after the Roman conquest in 52 BC, as it becam the centre of Roman administration in the region. Thus, the Romans built their governor’s palace on the site of the present-day Palais de Justice and erected a temple dedicated to their god Jupiter on the site where Notre-Dame Cathedral now stands.
The Cité, their fortified town, with its forum, prison, markets, shops, and dwellings, sprawled between these important buildings. It prospered until the decline of the Roman Empire at the end of the 5th century. It was indeed during this period that Clovis, King of the Franks, conquered Gaul, becoming the first king of the Kingdom of France in 481 AD.
King Saint-Louis transformed of the old palace
The Île de la Cité underwent its first major transformation in the late 1240s, during the reign of Louis IX.
Eager to leave his mark on the island, Saint-Louis thus embarked on an ambitious project to renovate the palace.
In the early 1240s, he commissioned the renowned architect Pierre de Montreuil to build the iconic Sainte-Chapelle to receive the Holy Crown of Thorns that he had purchased from the last Latin Emperor of Constantinople, Baldwin II. The chapel was consecrated in 1248.
In 1250, the king also ordered the construction of the Tour Bonbec (the palace prison) along the wall facing the Seine.
King Philip the Fair founded the Palais de Justice
Philip the Fair undertook a second phase of transformation at the beginning of the 14th century.
Recognising the need for a centralised location for the kingdom’s legal, administrative, and financial affairs, he indeed converted the royal residence into a courthouse.
He demolished the outbuildings to the north of the palace, as well as the surrounding wall, and built the imposing Conciergerie, which would become the administrative heart of the kingdom. However, he preserved the Bonbec Tower, which became the prison.
The Conciergerie includes the Guard Room and the Hall of the Men-at-Arms, as well as the Tour César – Caesar Tower, the Tour d’Argent – Silver Tower and the Tour Bonbec. The upper floor, formerly known as the Salle Haute (Upper Hall), was directly connected to the private apartments of Saint Louis. It now houses the First Civil Court.
Philip the Fair also commissioned the construction of the Galerie Marchande – Merchant Gallery to connect the Salle Haute to the Sainte-Chapelle, thus facilitating access between the two buildings.
Finally, he ordered the filling in of the river branch that separated the Ilot Galilée (islet) from the southern part of the island, to create the Quai des Orfèvres (Goldsmiths’ Wharf). This area became the jewellers’ quarter in the Middle Ages, hence its name.
Philip the Fair inaugurated the new palace in 1313.
In 1353, King Jean le Bon (John the Good) commissioned the construction of the Cuisines Saint-Louis, the royal kitchens, as well as the Tour de l’Horloge (Clock Tower).
In the 16th century, Queen Marie de Medici replaced the palace gardens, which extended to the west of the palace, with a vast botanical garden.
Palais de Justice – the seat of the Government
In 1367, Charles V took up residence in the Louvre fortress and established his Parliament in the royal palace on the Île de la Cité.
This move marked a decisive turning point in the island’s role as the centre of Parisian political and judicial power.
As part of this transition, the Salle Haute of the palace was transformed into the Salle des Pas-Perdus (Hall of Lost Footsteps), serving as a waiting room for the courts.
This vast hall led to the Cour suprême du Parlement (now the First Civil Court).
This is where, tragically, Queen Marie Antoinette, along with many other prisoners, was judged and condemned to death during the French Revolution.
Royal Palace converted into Law Courts – Palais de Justice
The Palais de Justice underwent further major transformations in the 17th century.
The Île de la Cité was enlarged in 1607 by merging two neighbouring islets, the Île aux Juifs and the Île du Passeur, to create the Place Dauphine.
Under the impetus of Achille de Harlay, President of the Palais de Justice, a series of elegant stone and brick houses were erected around this new square.
However, the houses located on the east side of the square were demolished in 1874 to free space to build the Vestibule de Harlay, the west entrance to the Palais de Justice.
The Quai de l’Horloge was created on the north bank in 1611, then enlarged in 1736 and 1836.
In 1776, a fire ravaged the eastern facade of the Palais de Justice. Rebuilt in 1836, it displays a unique mix of architectural styles, combining Gothic and Corinthian elements.
Haussmann transformed the Palais de Justice
The extensive renovation of Paris undertaken by Baron Haussmann in the 1850s profoundly transformed the layout of the Île de la Cité, particularly that of the Palais de Justice.
Haussmann indeed He had the gardens destroyed and the medieval buildings surrounding the courthouses demolished, including the Saint-Michel Chapel, which once stood in the courtyard of the Sainte-Chapelle, to construct new buildings.
He also had a new prison built along the Quai des Orfèvres, which served its purpose until 1914. In 1955, the buildings were repurposed to house the headquarters of the Judicial Police (PJ). Linked by a labyrinth of underground corridors, these buildings facilitated optimal coordination between magistrates, the courts, and law enforcement.
The Palais de Justice suffered serious damage during the Paris Commune of 1871. The First Civil Court, which originally housed the private apartments of Saint Louis, was destroyed by fire. Fortunately, the hall was immediately restored, including its magnificent 15th-century ceiling.
Thus, the hall of the Hall of the Men-at-Arms, Guardroom, the ground-floor of Cuisines Saint-Louis, the towers and the Sainte-Chapelle are all that remain of the original medieval royal palace.
Directions: 1st District
Metro station: Cité on Line 4
Coordinates: Lat 48.855551 – Long 2.345592
