Palais de Justice, Paris

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This large complex has housed France's court complex since the Middle Ages. Until the French Revolution it housed the Parliament of Paris. The complex contains the Conciergerie, the famous prison where Marie Antoinette was held in preparation for her execution by guillotine. The Conciergerie is today a museum. On the left side of the complex is the incredible Sainte Chapelle, which is probably one of the most beautiful churches anywhere.

This complex was once the Palace of St Louis (Louis IX) who lived from 1214-1270. He was the only canonized King of France, presumably for his participation in the 7th and 8th Crusades.

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The huge complex includes the Palace of Justice, the Sainte Chapelle and the Conciergerie.

The Roman rulers had their administrative and military headquarters here.

Today, it's the seat of the Parliament.

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Fortunatly, this side have been clean up recently and it's pretty white. This is the back side of the Palace and it faces the Place Dauphane, as well as Rue de Harlay, giving access to the Assize Court. This courtroom was built in the XIXth century and it's quite different that the rest of the building. It's clearly noticiable that it has been designed as a Court from the begining, with the lions and other more symbols.

Afortunadamente esta fachada ha sido limpiada recientemente y está muy blanca. Es la parte de atrás del Palacio y da a la Plaza del Delfín, así como al vestíbulo de Harlay. Desde aquí se va a la Sala de lo Criminal. Esta sala de audiencia fue construida en el siglo XIX y contrasta con el resto del edificio. Se ve claramente que desde el principio ha sido destinado a acoger un palacio de justicia, con los leones y demás símbolos.

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This is the "newest" part of the building, along with the one facing the Place Dauphine. It's next to La Corciergerie and it house the Supreme Court of Appeal. Inside there is the Saint-Louis Gallery, built at the end of the XIVth century, allowed access from the king's residence to the Bonbec Tower and the Hall on the Water, both built for the king Saint Louis, whom the gallery is named after.

Esta es la parte "nueva" del edificio, junto con la que da a la Plaza del Delfín. Está junto a la Conciergerie y acoje el Tribunal de Casación. Dentro está la galería de San Luis, construida a fines del siglo XIV, permitía acceder desde la residencia del rey a la torre Bonbec y a la "sala sobre el Agua", construidas una y otra por el rey San Luis, a quien fue dedicada la galería.

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This side is the Direction régionale de la police judiciaire de la Préfecture de police or, in other words, the Police in duty for the Juditial Power. In this side a like a lot the original squared tower with a small round tower attached to.

Este lado es el de la Dirección Regional de la Policía Judicial de la Prefectura de Policía o, en otras palabras, la polícia a cargo del Poder Judicial. En esta fachada me gusta mucho la original torre, que es cuadrada, pero tiene otra pequeñita torre redonda adherida.

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The main entrance is protected by an impressive golden grill with the French coat-of-arms. Behind them there is the Cour de Mai (May courtyard), called like this because ach year, to celebrate the first of May, a young oak tree was uprooted from the forest at Vincennes and brought in a procession by the palace staff to be planted in the May Courtyard.
The oak symbolizes the union of heaven and earth, God's justice and the justice of men, and therefore royal sovereign justice.

We take this courtyard in the way out from the Saint Chapelle. You can admire the great stone stairs inside it. They have four big columns with four allegoric sculptures: Fotitude, Abundance, Justice and Prudence.

La entrada principal está protegida por una impresionante cancela dorada don el escudo de Francia. Detrás de ella está el "Patio de Mayo", llamado así porque cada año el 1 de mayo, un roble joven trasplantado del bosque de Vincennes era llevado en procesión por el personal del Palacio y plantado en el patio. Este árbol simbolizaba la unión del cielo y la tierra, la justicia de Dios y la de los hombres, y en consecuencia la justicia soberana real.

Hay que tomar este patio para salir de la Santa Capilla. Se puede admirar las grandes escaleras de piedra. Tiene cuatro columnas con cuatro esculturas alegóricas: Fortaleza, Abundancia, Justicia y Prudencia.

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The Palais de Justice, located next to the flower market, is built on the site of the former royal palace of Saint Louis, of which the Sainte Chapelle remains. The Palais also contains the ancient structure of the Conciergerie, a former prison, now a museum, where the Queen Marie Antoinette was imprisoned before being executed on the guillotine.
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, the royal institution of justice.

El Palacio de Justicia, situado cerca del mercado de las flores, está situado donde el antiguo palacio real de San Luis, del que permanece la Santa Capilla (Sainte Chapelle). El Palacio también contiene la estructura de la antigua Conciergerie, una antigua prisión, ahora museo, donde la Reina María Antonieta estuvo prisionera antes de ser ejecutada en la guillotina.
La justicia del país se ha administrado en este lugar desde la Edad Media. Desde el siglo XVI hasta la Revolución Francesa fue la sede del Parlamento de París, la institución monárquica de justicia.

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This is the cell where she spent some years before over to the Bastille to get the final cut. The family was imprisoned here from 1789 when the Revolution took over and Marie stayed here until the death in October 1793. The existing cell is only 1/2 of orginal size. Marie had her children with her and they were continually sick form being down underground, and usual strife of that era. She was still treated with some dignity and allowed to even venture out for charity events on occasion. Robespierre, the beginner for the Revolution was also in a cell here, but got guillotioned in a couple of years after 1789.

The Palais de Justice is located on Ile de la cite, which is the small island in the middle of the river Seine. Entry is free into the Palais, though the queue is quite long. I would only recommend going inside if you have a strong interest in the legal system, otherwise, seeing it from the outside is sufficient!

There was place of royal authority in distinguishing from right business coast Cite and left university coast. There was headquarters of parliamentary authority after departure of king in XIV w. but currently judicial authority. Today's building is mixture of architectonic elements from various epochs.