Conciergerie

History

The Conciergerie is a building located on the Île de la Cité and was part of the former royal palace, the Palais de la Cité. The palace was originally built in the 6th century by Clovis, the king of the Franks, and was used as his royal residence. 500 years later, Hugues Capet, the first Capetian king, established his administration at the Palais de la Cité, making it the seat of royal power. 

In the 13th century, Louis IX initiated major renovations on the palace and added the Sainte-Chapelle to the grounds. In the 14th century, Philippe IV completed further renovations and created the towered façade on the Seine River side. This renovation included the addition of what is today known as the Conciergerie. 

In the late 14th century, Charles V decided to not take up residence in the Palais de la Cité and instead inhabited the Hotel Saint-Pol as well as the chateaux of the Louvre and Vincennes. He appointed a steward or “Concierge” who had judicial powers to administer the palace and the prison. Under the stewardship of the Concierge, parts of the palace were converted into prison cells.  Over the centuries, the Conciergerie held many prisoners of state. During the French Revolution, the Conciergerie saw almost 4,000 prisoners come through its doors, many of whom were political prisoners waiting to stand before the Revolutionary Tribunal.  One of the Conciergerie’s most famous prisoners was Marie-Antoinette. 

Notes about the museum: 

The museum focuses on the Conciergerie’s role during the French Revolution. In the height of the French Revolution, the Palais de la Cité remained a tribunal and prison. In 1793, the palace housed the Revolutionary Tribunal, which was set up to prosecute war crimes. The Conciergerie continued to be used as a prison during the revolution and in the museum you can read about the daily lives of prisoners, view mock prison cells in the former prisoners’ corridor, and see the location of Marie Antoinette’s former prison cell. 

The museum does a good job giving visitors an overview of the French Revolution as well as the French justice system and its evolution during this critical time in French history. 

La Salle de Gens d’Armes (The Hall of the Soldiers)

Constructed during the reign of Philippe IV in 1302, this hall is an excellent example of Gothic architecture. The room was used as a dining hall to feed 2,000 staff members who worked in the palace.