A construction in several step

Each king has brought his personal touch to the area, making the building increasingly large, versatile and complete.

One of the major changes was made by Saint Louis (1226-1270) who erected the Sainte Chapelle as well as the Mercier Gallery, the Water Room and the Bonbec Tower. Philippe le Bel (1285-1314) remodeled and enlarged the palace to bring together the judicial and financial and financial institutions of the kingdom. Centralizing more and more the governance and the power in the Palace. As early as the 15th century, the sovereign court was provided with a prison: the Conciergerie. Of which there is still some vestige.

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A site which will have undergone many tests during its existence.

Even though the royalty had abandoned the area as a place of residence, the courthouse and its surroundings were a prime target for arsonists, and all the renovations and rebuilding that have taken place have not been easy.

Indeed, several institutions of justice had still maintained their activity after the departure of the monarchs, notably the Parliament of Paris, the Chamber of Accounts or the Chancellery. These instances were privileged targets for those who wanted to reach the government of the time, and several fires, some of which were non-accidental, were declared.
Among these fires we can find:

• 1601 : fire of the "salle des pas perdus", which was used as a large waiting room
• 1618: the Great Hall was ravaged by a fire
• 1630: the spire of the Sainte Chapelle suffered the same fate
• 1737: the Court of account is also burned
• 1776: a fire took place between the Consiergerie and the Sainte Chapelle,
  probably the biggest fire among all those quoted

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Change of scenery for the courthouse

From the time of the Restoration, the palace moves from a political to a judicial dimension.

It was with the return of the monarchy to France that further changes to the Palace took place, including the creation of several new posts and the enlargement of the Palace to cope with the growing number of cases. This work was started in earnest by the July Monarchy, just after the Restoration period. The work was delayed and temporarily halted due to several fires (in particular the multi-fire of 1871), wars and redesigns. The conciergerie was not restored until 1883, and most of the buildings were either abandoned or restored in the following years. Since 1914, we have not had any large-scale restorations like these.

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The courthouse at the beginning of the 20th century

In 2018, a new page in the history of the Palais de Justice was turned, with the relocation of the Tribunal de Grande Instance to the new Batignolles site, in a new palace, inaugurated for the occasion.

But recent elements have forced the temporary reopening of several rooms for courts of cassation and appeal. Studies and works are implemented for the restoration of the area. The services and buildings are gradually reopened from 2018 to 2021. The aim of these renovations is to bring the buildings up to standard and to emphasize the aspect of heritage and history in relation to justice.

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The revolutionary tribune

Robespierre became one of the leaders of the new government after the abolition of the monarchy in France. But during the reign of terror, he became tyrannical,

In order to put the city back in order and condemn people against the new government, it was set up from March 10, 1793 until May 31, 1795. This tribunal contributed greatly to the reign of terror, with 1500 people executed during this period, and 2585 death sentences during its activity.Called at the time "Tribunale criminel extraordinaire" (Extraordinary Criminal Court), it was installed in the Grand Chamber of the Parliament of Paris, renamed "Salle de la Liberté" (Hall of Liberty). The sessions were transcribed in the bulletin of the revolutionary court. It had special rules in addition to those established for each court.

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The trial of Robespierre

Robespierre became one of the leaders of the new government after the abolition of the monarchy in France. But during the reign of terror, he became tyrannical,

Robespierre's trial began on 26 July 1794, when he was able to defend himself against the charges brought against him, namely his responsibility for the reign of terror, which he blamed on his political opponents, and the charge of tyranny, which he protested. While he was supposed to be defending himself, Robespierre proposed a partial reorganisation of the government, abolishing the Comité de salut public, charged with managing external and internal defence in emergency situations, which gave its members more and more power, becoming a true dictatorial government and participating in the reign of terror. He had the support of the Jacobins (or at least most of them), those who did not approve were expelled from one of the most influential clubs in France at the time. Robespierre was also supported by the general staff of the National Guard and much of the Commune, a branch of government focused on Paris and its inhabitants. But most of the men who made up the government and this court were either opposed to Robespierre or frightened by the reign of terror that was underway, and in the promise of its end by the main opponents, they allied themselves with them in order to organise such obstruction that neither Robespierre nor his supporters could intervene. The trial the next day was much more chaotic, preventing Robespierre from defending himself, the only voices that managed to be heard were those who proposed a decree of arrest against Robespierre, hastily accepted by a vote (which in the general cacophony was not very relevant). Men massed for this or that side, several people who had been arrested were released, but no overall confrontation. The Hôtel de Ville, which housed many of Robespierre's leading supporters, was taken in the middle of the night, and most of them died or were wounded in their attempt to defend themselves. Robespierre decided to react too late, and was arrested in the night with his supporters, then executed the next day with 21 of them. The trial and execution of Robespierre will have caused much ink and bloodshed, but it will have been one of the major steps towards the end of the reign of terror that took place in France.

I am made to fight crime, not to govern it. The time has not arrived when good men can serve their country with impunity; the defenders of liberty will only be outcasts as long as the horde of rascals dominates

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The arrest and execution of Robespierre

In June 1857 the author of the Flowers of Evil was convicted of «outrage to public morals and decency»

A vote of insurrection was held, the tocsin was sounded to call the patriots to arms and the prison wardens were forbidden to accept new prisoners. Men massed for one side or another, several people who had been arrested were released, but there was no overall confrontation. The Hotel de Ville, which housed many of Robespierre's leading supporters, was taken in the middle of the night, and most of them died or were wounded in their attempt to defend themselves. Robespierre decides to react too late, and is arrested in the night with his supporters, then executed the next day with 21 of them. The trial and execution of Robespierre will have caused a lot of ink and bloodshed, but it will have been one of the major steps in the end of the reign of terror that took place in France.

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"1857 : Charles Baudelaire judged for his writing "Les fleurs du mal"

On July 23, 1945, at the Palais de Justice in Paris, the trial of Philippe Pétain, head of the French state during the German occupation, opened before the High Court.

Let us first recall the context: we are in the middle of the Second Empire under the authoritarian regime of Napoleon III. The authors are regularly victims of the censorship. The writer, Gustave Flaubert, at the beginning of 1857, knows a resounding literary trial for his Madame Bovary. Regarding "Les Fleurs du Mal" of Baudelaire, on July 16, 1857, the justice seizes all the produced copy and Baudelaire and his associate Poulet-Malassis are pursued for outrage to morality. The book is judged too ignoble, too dirty, too much centered on the putrid side of the subjects evoked in it, one even doubts the mental health of the author. On August 20, 1857, the imperial prosecutor Ernest Pinard condemns the book for «outrage to public morals and good manners», Baudelaire and his publisher must pay heavy fines. The book is mutilated of six pieces: Les Bijoux, Le Léthé, À celle qui est trop gaie, Femmes damnées, Lesbos, and Les métamorphoses du Vampire.

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The trial of Marshal Pétain.

On August 15, 1945, at 4:01 a.m. and after seven hours of deliberations, the Court sentenced Pétain to death, national indignity, and the confiscation of his property. Because of his advanced age, his sentence was commuted to life imprisonment.

He was accused of complicity with the German government during World War II, to the detriment of French state security. After moving to Sigmaringen in Germany and then to Switzerland, he refused the political asylum offered to him by that country to face a French trial. The GPRF (Provisional Government of the French Republic), which had emerged from the Resistance and was supervised by General de Gaulle, reopened a High Court at the Palais de Justice, so that the accused could be tried on July 23, 1945. Defending himself with the help of his three lawyers and with the argument of his devotion to France, his achievements at Verdun, his legitimacy to the full power he said he had acquired in a completely legal way, and his will to use these powers to "protect the French people". Pétain was prosecuted for crimes against internal security and intelligence with the enemy. The prosecution reproaches him for his policy of collaboration which "contributed to the functioning of the German war machine", in particular with the establishment of the compulsory labor service, which made France one of the main suppliers of manpower to the Nazi government. Almost all of the witnesses called to the stand expressed the resignation of the Marshal during the occupation, and the little resistance he showed to the Germans' demands. Because of his advanced age, his sentence was commuted to life imprisonment. It was not proven that the accused had plotted against the regime before 1940. But he took advantage of his power to bring it down, according to the court. On July 23, 1951, Philippe Pétain died in Port-Joinville.

I will not make any further statements. I will not answer any questions". "When I asked for the armistice, in agreement with our military leaders, I accomplished a necessary and saving act", "I remained at the head of a country under occupation. Will anyone understand the difficulty of governing under such conditions? Every day, a dagger at the throat. I fought against the demands of the enemy. History will tell all that I avoided

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