The Conciergerie occupies the western end of the Île de la Cité in Paris’s 1st arrondissement. It is the surviving core of the medieval Palais de la Cité, the seat of French kings before it became the Revolution’s most feared prison. Visitors come for its Gothic halls and the story of Marie Antoinette’s final weeks.
The visit opens in the Salle des Gens d’Armes, built under Philip the Fair in the early 14th century. It is one of Europe’s largest surviving medieval halls, with rows of rib-vaulted columns supporting the ceiling. From 1793 the Revolutionary Tribunal sent thousands of prisoners from here to the guillotine. Reconstructed cells show how wealth decided whether a prisoner slept on straw or in a furnished room. Marie Antoinette was held here from August to October 1793. A chapel, commissioned under Louis XVIII, now marks the site of her cell. The HistoPad tablet uses augmented reality to restore the rooms to their medieval and revolutionary appearance. Outside, the Tour de l’Horloge carries Paris’s oldest public clock.
Visitor Highlights & Practical Info
The Conciergerie is open daily from 9:30am to 6pm, with last entry at 5:30pm. It closes on 1 May (source: [Conciergerie](https://www.paris-conciergerie.fr/en/visit/practical-information)). Arrive at opening or after 4pm to avoid tour groups, especially in summer. Book a combined ticket with nearby Sainte-Chapelle online to save time. Take Métro line 4 to Cité, then walk to Notre-Dame and Pont Neuf afterward.
