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Tribunal de Paris - a totally new activity in Paris
Last week I visited the newly built Tribunal de Paris, which replaces most of the functions of the Palais de Justice on the Ile de la Cité. Maybe someday they will unwrap the Sainte Chapelle by chainging the old building. Believe it or not, that part of the Palais de Justice that is hugging the Sainte Chapelle is barely more than 100 years old. What were they thinking?
Anyway, the new Tribunal de Paris is a surprising building (for Paris), designed*by Renzo Piano. For one thing, it is 38 stories tall, the first high rise to be built in (or rather on the edge of) the city in many years. Anybody can enter on weekdays, but of course you must go through security to do so. If you really want to push the envelope, you can even attend a trial. The police at the entrance of the courtroom are there to make sure that you have turned off your phone. Photography is permitted anywhere in the building except the courtrooms. Anyway, it is something new to see for those of you who are beginning to feel as though you have seen everything. Here is the photo report that I made: Tribunal de Paris | Any Port in a Storm * |
kerouac, that was very interesting. I enjoyed your background info on how it came to be there. Thank you for posting it.
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The first time I went to Sainte Chapelle, it was for a concert in the evening, and the way to enter was through the courthouse. It felt very familiar to me, like an old courthouse in Boston of about the same age and state of decrepitude. Emerging from the hallway into the chapel was quite a transition. I will be curious to see what they do with that building now that the courts are moving out. On the other hand, a 38 story courthouse sounds like a nightmare. And I wonder how long it will take before it loses that gloss of newness. |
Very interesting post! I am glad that at least they kept the building out towards the edge of Paris-so much of the charm in Paris is its lack of high rises. But I do really like the architecture-Piano is really gifted!
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Thanks for sharing this, kerouac.
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Fabulous photos and fascinating info. Many thanks, Kerouac for posting this.
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Oh goodie, something new and interesting to do in Paris. We're in! Thanks, keroac1
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Besides going to Saint Chapelle, my recollection of the Palais de Justice was being a few blocks down in 2004 when they arrested some Basque separatists (terrorists, according to the police, if I recall correctly) and were transporting them to the Palais in an armed convoy, complete with officers with guns draw on running boards out side the vehicles. They weren't screwing around.
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Well, you will no longer see that in the center of Paris.
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