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Conciergerie Review
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Conciergerie
- Address: 1 quai de l'Horloge, Ile de la Cite, Paris | Map It
- Phone: 01-53-40-60-93
- www.monum.fr
- Category: Architectural Sites
- Location: Île de la Cité
Fodor's Review:
Much of Ile de la Cité's medieval buildings fell victim to town planner Baron Georges-éugène Haussmann's ambitious rebuilding program of the 1860s. Among the rare survivors are the jewel-like Sainte-Chapelle, a vision of shimmering stained glass, and the Conciergerie, the former city prison where Marie-Antoinette and other victims of the French Revolution spent their last days.
Built by Philip IV in the 13th and 14th centuries, the Conciegerie was part of the original palace of the kings of France, before the royals moved into the Louvre (in 1358) and this palace was turned into a prison (in 1391). During the French Revolution, the old palace famously imprisoned Queen Marie-Antoinette as she awaited her fatal trip to the guillotine. By the end of the Reign of Terror (1793-94), countless others fell foul of the revolutionaries, including leaders Danton and Robespierre. You can still visit Marie-Antoinette's cell, and learn about some of Paris's more infamous criminals, including Comtesse de la Motte (1755-91), known for her role in the scandal of the diamond necklace, which contributed to the French Revolution and helped destroy the monarchy of France. The chapel's stained glass is emblazoned with the initials M. A.; it was commissioned after the queen's death by her daughter. Outside, in the courtyard, victims of the Terror spent their final days playing piquet, writing letters to loved ones, and waiting for the dreaded climb up the staircase to the Chamber of the Revolutionary Council to hear its final verdict. The building takes its name from the palace's concierge, or high-level keeper of the palace.
- Cost: EUR 7.50, joint ticket with Sainte-Chappelle EUR 10.40
- Open: Daily 9:30-6
- Metro: Cite
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