Conciergerie: Entry Ticket
Highlight
- Experience the remarkable history of the renowned Conciergerie, which has served as both a royal residence and a prison stronghold by the riverside. Admire the diverse decorations reflecting its multifaceted past!
- Explore the cell that once housed prisoners and now serves as a chapel, specifically dedicated to the infamous inmate of the prison: Marie Antoinette.
- Stroll through the Salle des Gens d’Armes, previously the grand dining area for the palace's 2,000 personnel, and today, Europe's largest surviving medieval hall.
Summary
Description
Gain entry to this former royal residence and prison along the Seine in the medieval heart of Paris. Visitors can explore the cells used during the French Revolution (including Queen Marie Antoinette's cell) and witness the Gothic Salle des Gens d'Armes, which is the largest surviving medieval hall in Europe.
The remarkable Gothic structure is steeped in history. Originally constructed as a royal residence in the 14th century, it was later repurposed as a prison after the royal family moved to more luxurious accommodations in the Louvre and Vincennes. It gained notoriety during the French Revolution as "the antechamber to the guillotine".
Individuals accused of posing a threat to the republic would be brought before a tribunal in the Grand Hall, where they would either be declared innocent or be found guilty of treason and given a death sentence. If found guilty, they would await their destiny in one of the adjacent cells. Affluent individuals would be able to afford more comfortable accommodations with beds, whereas ordinary people would be crowded into dirty cells infested with disease-carrying hay.
During the time it served as a prison, Queen Marie Antoinette was the most well-known inmate. Following the Restoration period, her cell was transformed into a chapel. A tour of her confinement area is a key attraction for visitors to this renowned structure.Additional points of interest comprise the gigantic medieval hall of Europe, the Salle des Gens d’Armes, and the feared Bonbec Tower, notorious as a place for inflicting torture. The term 'Bonbec' originates from the idea that inmates who arrived there would admit to any allegations brought against them (bon translates to 'good' and bec means 'mouth').
A trip to the Conciergerie offers a captivating insight into the tumultuous past of the French Republic. Fortunately, visitors can depart at will, unlike its former occupants!Explore the medieval and revolutionary chambers (including the vanished areas) using the Histopad, an augmented reality device that enables you to travel back in time.
