The name “Conciergerie” comes from the title “Concierge,” which the king bestowed upon high officials. The Concierge was responsible for maintaining order, overseeing the police, and registering prisoners. During the French Revolution, all proceedings of the Revolutionary Tribunal were held here, and Marie Antoinette spent her last days in this prison. In one room, over 4,000 people are named who were imprisoned here during the Revolution.

Before entering the Conciergerie, have a look at the corner tower. There is a magnificent clock – it is the first public clock installed in Paris, dating back to 1370.

At the entrance, bags are checked, and then you descend the stairs to the “Hall of Soldiers.” It is the largest secular Gothic room in Europe, covering 1,785 square meters. Tickets are checked here, Histopads are distributed, and there is a small museum shop.

It is one of the medieval halls of the Conciergerie. Here, 1,000 to 2,000 soldiers and royal servants ate their meals daily. The food was prepared in the “Commoners’ Kitchen”, built in 1353 under King John II, and recently restored. After many modifications, only the basement remains today. The square room is 16.25 meters long and wide, divided by columns. At the end of the Soldiers’ Hall, you can go right down a few steps into the Guards’ Hall. This is where the royal guards of the respective rulers stayed until the 14th century, and later it served as a prison.

Continuing on the “Rue de Paris,” you proceed to the Revolution Halls. In the “Corridor of the Prisoners,” you can see reconstructions of prisoner cells, the office of the court clerk, the Concierge’s office. And there is the “Salle de la Toilette,” where prisoners were prepared for execution (their hair was cut to avoid interference with the guillotine). You can then go upstairs via a spiral staircase.

Unfortunately, during our visit, the “Hall of Names” was closed due to COVID-19 hygiene measures. The walls in this hall display the names of over 4,000 people who were imprisoned in the Conciergerie during the French Revolution and faced the Revolutionary Tribunal. Some were acquitted, others were sentenced to punishment, or execution.

The corridor of cells shows three smaller prison cells where, according to the memoirs of Honoré Jean Riouffe, up to seven prisoners were sometimes locked up.

At the end of the corridor, a staircase leads back down to the ground floor. Here, you’ll find exhibitions on “The French Revolution and Paris,” “The Revolution and the Conciergerie,” and “The Revolution and Justice.” Numerous display panels and historical documents provide detailed information about the period from 1789 onwards.

Now, you enter the small chapel in memory of Marie Antoinette. Devotional items related to the queen are displayed here, although most of them are replicas. They illustrate the cult that developed around the famous – and perhaps infamous – queen after her death. Behind the altar, separated by a blue curtain with a royal coat of arms, is the Marie Antoinette Penitential Chapel, which was erected in the room where her cell was located.

Through a side door in the memorial chapel, you finally enter the so-called “Courtyard of the Women.” Here, women who were imprisoned in the cells surrounding the courtyard were allowed to spend some time outdoors.

The Sainte-Chapelle, the former royal chapel, is part of the palace complex and can be visited either with a combination ticket or separately.

The Histopad:

In each room, there are small boxes with surfaces that you can scan. After scanning, you’ll see an accurate 3D reconstruction on the Histopad, immersing you in the historical events!