The Conciergerie
The Prison of the Reign of Terror
La Conciergerie
The Conciergerie is a former palace in Paris that was residencia real y luego prisión durante la Revolución Francesa. Today it is considered a historic monument and is open to the public.
It is located on the Île de la Cité.
Its name refers to what the ground floor of the building was called — the residence of the "concierge" responsible for the palace keys, its candlelit lighting, and the supervision of the prison.
During the years it functioned as a prison under the Reign of Terror during the French Revolution, 2,780 prisoners were executed.
The building, constructed in the early 14th century in Gothic style, was originally a royal palace and the seat of the monarquía francesa between the 10th and 14th centuries.
In 1391 it became the primera prisión de Paris during the Revolution. Those condemned here were transported to the Place de la Concorde to be guillotined; among its most famous prisoners were María Antonieta, Danton y Charlotte Corday, who was accused of stabbing Jean-Paul Marat while he was in his bath.
What to See at La Conciergerie in Paris
Today you can visit the Galería de los Prisioneros, where you can see the cells just as they were in that era. The windows of this gallery open onto the Plaza de las Mujeres, set aside for the prisoners' walks.
The differences between the various social classes of prisoners are evident, as the cells assigned to the poorest inmates had no bed, while los ricos disfrutaban de mobiliario e incluso sirvientes.
The calabozo de María Antonieta it has been rebuilt and his original cell is now a chapel, at the express wish of Louis XVIII.
Useful information about the Conciergerie
Prices
- Standard ticket €13 buy here
- Combined ticket: Sainte-Chapelle and Conciergerie €20. Buy here.
- Free for visitors under 18 and for European citizens aged 18 to 25.
- Free with Paris Pass.
Hours
- Open daily 9:30 am–6:00 pm.
- Closed January 1, May 1, and December 25.
Address
- 2 Bd du Palais, 75001 Paris, France
Getting there
- Metro: line 4, Cité station.
More attractions in Paris
Nearby places to visit around the Conciergerie
Notre-Dame Cathedral
The Notre-Dame Cathedral of Paris is one of the most famous monuments in France and in the world.
Sainte-Chapelle
Consecrated in 1248, it is considered one of the greatest masterpieces of architecture in the world.
Île de la Cité
A natural island in the Seine and the heart of the French capital, it was the very place where Paris was founded.
Pont Neuf
Despite its name — meaning "New Bridge" — the Pont Neuf is the oldest stone bridge spanning the Seine in Paris.
