Marie Antoinette's Last Prison: A Guide to the Conciergerie, Paris
Ever wondered what the history is of the Conciergerie that stands boldly on the water's edge of the Seine on Île de la Cité? Was Marie Antoinette actually imprisoned in the Conciergerie? Today the Conciergerie operates as a museum and is listed as a national monument, but it's been used for many different purposes over the centuries. It's a popular visitor attraction in Paris where you can explore the medieval halls of the former royal palace and the prisons used during the French Revolution. And yes, the Conciergerie was Marie Antoinette's last prison before her death.
The Conciergerie can be described as a relic of the Palace of the Cité, the royal residence in the Middle Ages. It has kept its original name as it was the headquarters for the Conciergerie of the Palace, chief of police and justice of Paris. In the XIV century, Charles V left his residence for the Louvre and transformed the Conciergerie into a State prison.
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A great way to see the scale of the Conciergerie is to view it from a boat along the River Seine or from Pont au Change where you can still see the four grand medieval towers. The names of the towers from west to east are, the Bonbec Tower which housed the sinister interrogation room; the Argent (Silver) Tower which contained the King's treasure; the César Tower which stands on ancient Roman ruins, and also the Clock Tower. The Clock Tower actually has a clock installed in it, and it's famously the first public clock of Paris.
Conciergerie Clock close up
The Conciergerie Clock Tower
This tower was built by King Jean II (Jean le Bon) between 1350 and 1353, on the corner of what is now the Quai de l'Horloge and the Boulevard du Palais. It rises 47 metres tall and was originally built as a lookout for the Royal Palace. Later In 1370, King Charles V commissioned a clock to be installed in the tower. It was designed by Henri de Vic and was the first public clock in Paris. Read our post The Oldest Public Clock in Paris to find out more about the Conciergerie clock.
The Conciergerie in the French Revolution
Over the course of centuries, the Conciergerie has served several different functions. During the French Revolution it was used as a prison and for those that entered its court, especially during the reign of the Revolution Tribunal in 1793, it did not bode well. The prison held both poor victims, who sat on straw-covered stone and those of privileged backgrounds such as Marie Antoinette. Sadly the end was the same for them as they faced death by the hand of the guillotine and the legendary executioner Sanson.
Marie Antoinette's Last Prison & Famous Prisoners
As well as Marie Antoinette, revolutionary figure Charlotte Corday and scientist Lavoisier all went under the guillotine of executioner Sanson. Forwarding to the XIX century, the criminal Lacenaire, the anarchist Ravochol and even the future Napoleon III after his attempted coup d'Etat was imprisoned in the Conciergerie.
Read more about Marie Antoinette in our related post 14 Facts You Didn't Know About Marie Antoinette
See the amazing Marie Antoinette Estate and Queen’s Hamlet at Versailles in our A Visitor’s Guide
Looking across the Seine River to the Conciergerie. The clock tower is the furthest left tower.
Becoming a National Monument
In 1914 the Conciergerie was registered as a National Monument and converted into a museum. The grisly history of the place is acknowledged in the museum and even in the 2024 Paris Olympics opening ceremony. Decapitated figures of Marie-Antoinette holding their singing heads appeared at the windows of the Conciergerie as an abundance of red streamers signifying the running blood of the thousands of executed persons flew from open windows and red smoke filled the air. It was quite the spectacle, and while not everyone's cup of tea, it definitely illuminated the Conciergerie's dramatic history.
Useful Information
Open daily from 9:30 am to 6:00 pm except the public holidays of New Year's Day (1 January), La Fête du Travail or Labour Day (1 May) and Christmas Day (25 December).
It is located at 2 Boulevard du Palais, on the Île de la Cité, 75001, Paris
Official website of the Conciergerie Centre des Monuments Nationaux
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