Palais de Justice, Paris

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Palais de Justice -Gates of the cour d'honneur
May Courtyard
The south range

The Palais de Justice, located in the Île de la Cité in central Paris, France, is built on the site of the former royal palace of Saint Louis, of which the Sainte Chapelle remains. Thus the justice of the state has been dispensed at this site since medieval times. From the sixteenth century to the French Revolution this was the seat of the Parlement de Paris.

It houses various courts:

  • the Paris court of large claims (tribunal de grande instance) and the associated Paris correctional court; as of 2007 there are discussions so as to their possible relocation in another location;
  • the Paris Court of Appeal;
  • the French Cour de cassation (highest jurisdiction in the French judicial order).

The Palais also contains the ancient structure of the Conciergerie, a former prison, now a museum, where Marie Antoinette was imprisoned before being executed on the guillotine. The exterior includes sculptural work by sculptor Jean-Marie Bonnassieux.

Security is maintained by gendarmes.

[edit] External links

Coordinates: 48°51′21″N 2°20′42″E / 48.855722, 2.345051

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