Interestingly, the floor level of the medieval halls is still the same as it was in the 14th century. Upstairs, there is a memorial room that honors the citizens murdered via the guillotine. This cookie is native to PHP applications. The impressive medieval palace comes complete with turrets and a UNESCO-listed grand hall. There is no additional cost to you. Part of the Conciergerie, The Bonbec Tower, was converted into a prison. You can feel history pouring from the walls. As they were sleeping on straw (la paille), they were named Pailleux or Payeux. There were a cot, a chair, a table, and a screen that separated the queen from watchmen day and night. The monarchys proposed new taxes caused widespread resentment and were the last straw. Geographical cures cant all be sunshine, beaches, and unicorns. Its an easy one way circuit. Four big fireplaces were built in each corner of the kitchen to cook enough food to feed between 2,000 and 3,000 people. Thus it became the seat of royal power. Its because of my interest in the FrenchRevolution that I was keen on visiting the Conciergerie during my 4 days in Paris. You can go from gloom to glorious in an instant. The actual cell was demolished and is now an expiatory chapel, so its been altered as well. One corner is known as the Corner of the Twelve or Corner of last goodbyes. This was where condemned prisoners waited by the dozen to be carted off to the guillotine. By clicking Accept, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies. This expiatory chapel from 1815 occupies the cell where Marie-Antoinette spent the final two months of her life, from 2 August to 16 October 1793. Area Accommodations: To search for hotels near the Conciergerie, please visit Booking.com, our trusted booking site that we use for all our trips. This is used to present users with ads that are relevant to them according to the user profile. The courtyard is where women prisoners were allowed out of their cells during the day to wash their clothes and eat at stone tables. If youre a history buff, dont let anyone dissuade you from visiting this less touristy hidden gem in Paris. And bread. To save a few euros, you can buy a combined ticket to both sites for 17 . I loved the medieval eeriness. Thank you! Once inside the Conciergerie, youll experience one of Europes finest examples of secular Gothic architecture. This cookie is used by the Zoominfo. In 1914, the Conciergerie was classified as a national historic monument. The Horlage Tower was built between 1530-33 and is over 150 feet tall. Its the oldest surviving medieval hall in Europe. Much of the Conciergerie is still used for the Paris Law Courts. Transparency: Some blog posts and pages may contain affiliate or sponsored links. The building includes four stately Gothic towers: the Bonbec Tower, the Silver Tower, the Caesar tower, and the Horlage Tower. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other. It now houses a small gift shop. Required fields are marked. The cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. The latter added the faade towers and a large Gothic hall. The room was used as a dining room for the 2,000 staff members, for royal banquets and for judicial proceedings. During the French Revolution, it became notorious for being a prison. The first French king, Clovis, established his royal residence on Ile de la Cite way back in the 6th century. The Conciergerie is perhaps best known for its use during the French Revolution, when it was the last stop for prisoners before execution. Passing through the chapels, one comes to The Womens Courtyard, where prisoners washed their clothes and ate. From there, inmates in groups of twelve waited for the cart that would lead them to the guillotine. After toppling King Louis XIV, there was a tiny period of relative harmony. Yes Please! This blog Pierre Guernier forFrench Moments Ltd Ltd, 2012-2022 All Rights Reserved Developed byAnnecy Web, __CONFIG_colors_palette__{"active_palette":0,"config":{"colors":{"c65f1":{"name":"Main Accent","parent":-1}},"gradients":[]},"palettes":[{"name":"Default","value":{"colors":{"c65f1":{"val":"var(--tcb-skin-color-22)","hsl":{"h":0,"s":0.01,"l":0.01,"a":1}}},"gradients":[]},"original":{"colors":{"c65f1":{"val":"rgb(57, 163, 209)","hsl":{"h":198,"s":0.62,"l":0.52,"a":1}}},"gradients":[]}}]}__CONFIG_colors_palette__, __CONFIG_colors_palette__{"active_palette":0,"config":{"colors":{"f3080":{"name":"Main Accent","parent":-1},"f2bba":{"name":"Main Light 10","parent":"f3080"},"trewq":{"name":"Main Light 30","parent":"f3080"},"poiuy":{"name":"Main Light 80","parent":"f3080"},"f83d7":{"name":"Main Light 80","parent":"f3080"},"frty6":{"name":"Main Light 45","parent":"f3080"},"flktr":{"name":"Main Light 80","parent":"f3080"}},"gradients":[]},"palettes":[{"name":"Default","value":{"colors":{"f3080":{"val":"rgb(23, 23, 22)"},"f2bba":{"val":"rgba(23, 23, 22, 0.5)","hsl_parent_dependency":{"h":60,"l":0.09,"s":0.02}},"trewq":{"val":"rgba(23, 23, 22, 0.7)","hsl_parent_dependency":{"h":60,"l":0.09,"s":0.02}},"poiuy":{"val":"rgba(23, 23, 22, 0.35)","hsl_parent_dependency":{"h":60,"l":0.09,"s":0.02}},"f83d7":{"val":"rgba(23, 23, 22, 0.4)","hsl_parent_dependency":{"h":60,"l":0.09,"s":0.02}},"frty6":{"val":"rgba(23, 23, 22, 0.2)","hsl_parent_dependency":{"h":60,"l":0.09,"s":0.02}},"flktr":{"val":"rgba(23, 23, 22, 0.8)","hsl_parent_dependency":{"h":60,"l":0.09,"s":0.02}}},"gradients":[]},"original":{"colors":{"f3080":{"val":"rgb(23, 23, 22)","hsl":{"h":60,"s":0.02,"l":0.09}},"f2bba":{"val":"rgba(23, 23, 22, 0.5)","hsl_parent_dependency":{"h":60,"s":0.02,"l":0.09,"a":0.5}},"trewq":{"val":"rgba(23, 23, 22, 0.7)","hsl_parent_dependency":{"h":60,"s":0.02,"l":0.09,"a":0.7}},"poiuy":{"val":"rgba(23, 23, 22, 0.35)","hsl_parent_dependency":{"h":60,"s":0.02,"l":0.09,"a":0.35}},"f83d7":{"val":"rgba(23, 23, 22, 0.4)","hsl_parent_dependency":{"h":60,"s":0.02,"l":0.09,"a":0.4}},"frty6":{"val":"rgba(23, 23, 22, 0.2)","hsl_parent_dependency":{"h":60,"s":0.02,"l":0.09,"a":0.2}},"flktr":{"val":"rgba(23, 23, 22, 0.8)","hsl_parent_dependency":{"h":60,"s":0.02,"l":0.09,"a":0.8}}},"gradients":[]}}]}__CONFIG_colors_palette__, {"email":"Email address invalid","url":"Website address invalid","required":"Required field missing"}, __CONFIG_colors_palette__{"active_palette":0,"config":{"colors":{"f3080":{"name":"Main Accent","parent":-1},"f2bba":{"name":"Main Light 10","parent":"f3080"},"trewq":{"name":"Main Light 30","parent":"f3080"},"poiuy":{"name":"Main Light 80","parent":"f3080"},"f83d7":{"name":"Main Light 80","parent":"f3080"},"frty6":{"name":"Main Light 45","parent":"f3080"},"flktr":{"name":"Main Light 80","parent":"f3080"}},"gradients":[]},"palettes":[{"name":"Default","value":{"colors":{"f3080":{"val":"rgb(23, 23, 22)"},"f2bba":{"val":"rgba(22, 23, 22, 0.5)","hsl_parent_dependency":{"h":120,"l":0.09,"s":0.02}},"trewq":{"val":"rgba(22, 23, 22, 0.7)","hsl_parent_dependency":{"h":120,"l":0.09,"s":0.02}},"poiuy":{"val":"rgba(22, 23, 22, 0.35)","hsl_parent_dependency":{"h":120,"l":0.09,"s":0.02}},"f83d7":{"val":"rgba(22, 23, 22, 0.4)","hsl_parent_dependency":{"h":120,"l":0.09,"s":0.02}},"frty6":{"val":"rgba(22, 23, 22, 0.2)","hsl_parent_dependency":{"h":120,"l":0.09,"s":0.02}},"flktr":{"val":"rgba(22, 23, 22, 0.8)","hsl_parent_dependency":{"h":120,"l":0.09,"s":0.02}}},"gradients":[]},"original":{"colors":{"f3080":{"val":"rgb(23, 23, 22)","hsl":{"h":60,"s":0.02,"l":0.09}},"f2bba":{"val":"rgba(23, 23, 22, 0.5)","hsl_parent_dependency":{"h":60,"s":0.02,"l":0.09,"a":0.5}},"trewq":{"val":"rgba(23, 23, 22, 0.7)","hsl_parent_dependency":{"h":60,"s":0.02,"l":0.09,"a":0.7}},"poiuy":{"val":"rgba(23, 23, 22, 0.35)","hsl_parent_dependency":{"h":60,"s":0.02,"l":0.09,"a":0.35}},"f83d7":{"val":"rgba(23, 23, 22, 0.4)","hsl_parent_dependency":{"h":60,"s":0.02,"l":0.09,"a":0.4}},"frty6":{"val":"rgba(23, 23, 22, 0.2)","hsl_parent_dependency":{"h":60,"s":0.02,"l":0.09,"a":0.2}},"flktr":{"val":"rgba(23, 23, 22, 0.8)","hsl_parent_dependency":{"h":60,"s":0.02,"l":0.09,"a":0.8}}},"gradients":[]}}]}__CONFIG_colors_palette__. Todays version of the Conciergerie dates to 1200, when the building was formally known as the the Palais de la Cit. Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features. In addition, part of the building was converted as a prison in 1391, housing a mixture of common outlaws and political detainees, such as Ravaillac (King Henry IVs assassin). Marie Antoinette was imprisoned in the Conciergerie for two months in 1793 during the Reign of Terror. Those who were very influential or wealthy often got a private cell with a bed and such luxuries like a desk and reading and writing materials. This cookie include cookie name plus the unique identifier of the visitor account. Here you can see reconstructions of the Clerks office, the concierges office and the Grooming Room, where prisoners were stripped of their belongings before execution. This cookie is used by vimeo to collect tracking information. While fascinating from a historical perspective, a visit to the Conciergerie was a contrast to Paris romantic atmosphere and grand monuments, giving us a more well-rounded view of Paris. Indeed, I was told the Conciergerie was just a gloomy barren place with a vicious history. From there walk west to boulevard du Palais and then go south to reachthe Conciergerie. In 1792, revolutionary forces captured and arrested King Louis XVI and Queen Marie Antoinette as they attempted to flee the country. Only celebrity prisoners got their own cells. Bonbec Tower is the oldest tower of the Conciergerie. From 1793 to 1794, the Revolutionary Tribunal presided by public prosecutor Quentin Fouquier-Tinville took place there. Please confirm directly with the venue. Its well worth a visit. The cookies store information anonymously and assign a randomly generated number to identify unique visitors. Here is a brief history of the Conciergerie and its transformation from palace to prison. This cookies is installed by Google Universal Analytics to throttle the request rate to limit the colllection of data on high traffic sites. Shouldnt the actual cell have been left intact and exhibited with historical accuracy? They were interrogated, tried, and then escorted to prison down the Rue de Paris, the walkway of the executioner, by Monsieur de Paris, the executioner himself. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. In the 19th century, the Conciergerie and the whole Palace of Justice underwent a major restoration.

There was no sunshine to be had. When King Charles V, the last royal resident there, moved out for good, he appointed the first Concierge and renamed the building La Conciergerie. Not when theres Gothic architecture to behold and the French Revolution to re-live. We are Rhonda and Mike, a Canadian couple who make it a priority to travel every chance we get! When I was in high school, my favourite subject was Social Studies. But it was restored by the clockmaker Pierre-Michel Lepaute in 1849. Hours: The Conciergerie is open every day from 9:30 am- 6:00 pm (closed January 1, May 1 and December 25). They prevailed, and the glorious French Revolution transmogrified into a dark bloody event. Sign up to get travel tips and advice for your next journey. Metro: line 1, station Chtelet; line 4, stations Saint-Michel or Cit; lines 7, 11 and 14, station Chtelet. This cookie is set by Addthis.

The Gothic vaulted room was built around the same time as the Hall of Men-at-Arms. If you are planning a trip, the use of these links helps us to run the site. Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This cookie is set by the provider Dailymotion. Middle class inmates were put in pistoles with a simple bed and table. As the rain droned on, I felt like I was in Caillebottes famous painting, Paris Street, Rainy Day. Information was updated January 2022, but can change without notice. The Conciergerie is the the oldest remaining part of the Palais de la Cite, a royal palace that was home to the kings of France from the 6th to the 14th century. He grew up in France and Germany and has also lived in Australia and England. Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | Pinterest. Accommodations booked through the included link earn us a small commission, at no extra cost to you, and help support this website. The Conciergeriewas the final stop for over 2,700 people who were executed by guillotine during the revolution. Besides, the Conciergerie hides a scandalous past full of murder and mayhem. Heres my guide to visiting the Conciergerie in Paris. READ: Guide To Marie Antoinette Sites in Paris, Then came 1793 and 10 months of utter hell that would live in infamy. The Toilette was where the prisoners had their hair shaved before heading to their grisly death. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary". For most of them, it was the final stop before being picked up by cart to one of the guillotines set throughout Paris. This cookie is set by Youtube. Whew, even though I willingly embraced the gloom, I felt like there was nothing left of me after my visit to the Conciergerie. Only the lower level of the original outbuilding remains today. Its twin round tower, the Caesar Tower, was named in honour of the Roman Emperors. It still chimes every hour on the hour, and keeps time for French citizens.

However you may visit Cookie Settings to provide a controlled consent. Built between 1302 and 1313 by Enguerrand de Marigny, The four-aisled Gothic hall is 64m long, 27.5 wide and 8.5m high, a similar size to those of the Mont-Saint-Michel and the Popes Palace in Avignon. During the Reign of Terror, prisoners were huddled en masse in the great hall. By scrolling down to this point, you have officially browsed the entire website of French Moments! At the end of the Hall you will pass by the Guardroom and walk through the Rue de Paris to the Prisoners Gallery. This cookie is used to track the time stamp of initial CJ related event on current browser session. Here is a trusted site where you can buy digital tickets and have them immediately delivered to your smartphone: Getting There: If taking the metro, Cite station (line four) will bring you right onto the Ile de la Cite. Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. This cookie is very common and is used for session state management. The cookie is set by addthis.com to determine the usage of Addthis.com service. A tour of the Conciergerie showcases a dark side of Paris history. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. Here 21 members of the radical group the Girondins, had their final feast before being executed in 1793. The Silver Tower was the royal treasury. Its morphed from a medieval palace to a torture prison to a notorious guillotine way station to a public museum. If you have the Paris Museum Pass admission is free. The cookie is used to store information of how visitors use a website and helps in creating an analytics report of how the website is doing. It was a dark day in the City of Light. In total, up to 40,000 people were killed before there was a reactionary blow back and more moderate forces prevailed. Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet. However, once inside, the monument visitors will discover one of the finest examples in Europe of Gothic secular architecture. This cookies is set by Youtube and is used to track the views of embedded videos. In the Middle Ages, the Great Hall (Grande Salle) was one of the largest of its kind in Europe. Discover the historic monument of Conciergerie in Paris. There are small rooms on the sides, which have displays and convey what life was like in the prison. This is the stunning Hall of the Men-at-Arms. Evidence was not a valued legal concept at the time. This cookie is used to a profile based on user's interest and display personalized ads to the users. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads. Admission Tickets: You must purchase an entry ticket and reserve a time slot to visit the Conciergerie (can be done online). The Caesar Tower was named in honor of the Roman Emperors and the historic Roman presence in Paris. The French kings and queens abandoned the gloomy palace in the 14th century and decamped for brighter digs. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. The Geographical Cure 2019-22 clock conciergerie tower french paris moments prison parisdigest

Under the Law of Suspects, citizens could be classified as an enemy based on the slightest hint of opposition. Yet, La Conciergerie is one of Paris most enigmatic monuments. I found this bait and switch confounding, and perhaps a touch theme park-ish. Used to track the information of the embedded YouTube videos on a website. Discover what inspired Pierre to create this blog about France! The courtyard is surrounded by two levels of cells and still has the fountain where prisoners washed their clothes. Its a massive four aisled room with an impressive vaulted ceiling and four large fireplaces. Pierre is the author of the Discovery Course on the Secrets of the Eiffel Tower and the Christmas book "Voyage au Pays de Nol". Famous prisoners included Queen Marie-Antoinette, Charlotte Corday, Madame Elisabeth, Madame du Barry, Georges Danton and Robespierre. The people wanted equality. The Conciergerie has had myriad incarnations. The Conciergeries gloom mirrored the typical gloom of the ungodly gloomy month of February. SUBSCRIBE TO THE NEWSLETTER AND GET THE FREE EBOOK, Bravo! It was destroyed by fire on the night of 5 March 1618. There were imprisoned the poorest prisoners who could not afford to pay for better accommodation in a cell. The oldest tower, the Bonbec Tower, was infamous for torture, as described above. The Conciergerie is now listed as a national heritage site (monument historique). The cookie is set by the provider Dotomi. I remember learning about the economic crisis, the execution of King Louis XVI in Place de la Concorde, and the subsequent Reign of Terror in which tens of thousands of peopledied under theguillotine, including Queen Marie Antoinette. Thank you for your support! =>Click here to get your entrance ticket to the Conciergerie and Sainte-Chapelle! Used during the Revolution, the premises were modernised following the 1776 fire by King Louis XVI. The Guards Room was an antechamber where the King held meetings with his council and dispensed justice. The Conciergerie remained the seat of the Kings of France from Hugh Capet to the 14th century. It was the residence of Clovis, the first King of France. Entry fee: 10 , under 26: 7 . The king and queen were charged with treason and thrown into the Conciergerie. It is used to support payment service in a website. I loved learning about history and one of my favourite units was the French Revolution.

This cookie collects information on user behaviour on multiple websites. Now that Charles V was living in the Louvre, he had to appoint a concierge to manage the palace. They took up residence in the Louvre, Chateau Vincennes, and Versailles. The cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Advertisement". This cookie is used for storing the visitors opt out of sale decision. Its decidedly unsatisfying and not her cell.. Its 210 feet long with 28foot ceilings. This is where condemned prisoners waited in groups of 12 to be carted off to theguillotine. Downstairs is the Girondins Chapel. This information is used inorder to optimize the relevance of advertisements. You can also see a recreation of Marie Antoinettes cell. The Conciergerie was listed as a historic monument by the French State in 1914. Learn how your comment data is processed. During the French Revolution, the people of Paris nicknamed the Conciergerie the antechamber to the guillotine. In March 1793, the Revolutionary Tribunal sat in the Grand Chamber and in July 1793, Robespierre inaugurated the Reign of Terror which ordered the arrest of anyone presumed to be an enemy of the Revolution or who confessed to being so. It helps to collect information about how visitors use the website. Rather annoyed, I carried on to the next chapel. The poor were stuffed into a single cell with straw floors. It sets a unique ID to embed videos to the website. Outside you can visit the Womens Courtyard. It does not store any personal data. The Guard Room was the antechamber to the Great Hall on the upper floor (which has disappeared since) where the King was holding meetings with his council and dispensed justice. They were used by the Royal Guard and the staff members (clerks, officers and servants) who worked for the king and his family (about 2,000 people in all). This cookie is used to record visitor behaviour. Legend holds that the Girondins sang the Marseillaise, the national anthem of France, on the way to the guillotine. Besides, it was February in Paris when I cast my eyes on the Conciergerie. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. This cookie is set by the provider Dotomi. The purpose of the cookie is to determine if the user's browser supports cookies. You can find the entrance on Boulevard du Palais on the Ile de la Cite. Youll feel like youre standing in a Gothic palace. The accompanying signage confirmed my suspicions. This was the barren place I was advised to skip . We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. You can see several prison cells, some with creepy life size mannequins of incarcerated men. This is the main axis of the prison where prisoners could wander freely. document.getElementById("ak_js_1").setAttribute("value",(new Date()).getTime()); This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Designed by WPGeared, Top Attractions in Paris Charming Montmartre District, Visitors Guide To the Pantheon, a Must See Landmark in Paris Latin Quarter, One Day In Guimaraes Itinerary, The Perfect Day Trip From Porto, Guide To bidos Portugal, Best Things To Do In The Queens Present. Pierre is a French/Australian who is passionate about France and its culture. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc. Robespierre is on the list. It was interesting to learn about the transition from palace to prison, and sobering to hear about tough conditions prisoners had to endure. The torture there was so insidious and resulting misery so loud that the prison tower was graphically nicknamed The Babbler.. To pay your respects to Marie-Antoinette, reach her final resting place: the Basilica of St-Denis (North of Paris). Paris former royal palace was converted to a prison long before the revolution, but it eventuallybecame a symbol of the ten month Reign of Terror as hundreds ofprisoners were taken from the Conciergerie to be executed by guillotine. On July 14, 1789, rabid rioters stormed the Bastille, and the French Revolution began with a bang. The Conciergerie was built in the 6th century. The data collected including the number visitors, the source where they have come from, and the pages visted in an anonymous form. The hall is supported by stout pillars with interesting capitols. This cookie is installed by Google Analytics. The Conciergerie is situated on the le de la Cit, an island on the Seinewhich is closely linked with the history of Paris. Im Leslie, a lifelong traveler and culture vulture. Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. Between September 1793 and July 1794, the tribunals public prosecutor Quentin Fouquier-Tinville judged more than 2,700 people. tqb-impression-43991-tqb-user-60b74e6e136969_42764078, tqb-impression-45587-tqb-user-60b750d3542be4_31286813, tqb-impression-45888-tqb-user-60b7564ed3ea48_22717521. French Moments is about promoting the French culture and language through its website and social network.

Yes Please!|ProPhoto Custom Blog, Notre-Dame de Paris- History, Architecture and Tips for Visiting, Where to Stay in Paris- A Guide to the Best Paris Neighbourhoods for Travellers, What to Expect on Your First Trip to Paris- A First Time Visitors Guide, Eiffel Tower- Fun Facts, Photos and Tips for Visiting, Sainte-Chapelle- A Stained Glass Masterpiece in Paris. Its hard to miss it. This cookie is set by the provider CJ affiliate by Coversant. Until recently visitors would discover a reconstitution of the cell where Marie-Antoinette was imprisoned. Your email address will not be published. I hope youve enjoyed my guide to the Conciergerie. The crenellated Bonbec Towermeans good beak for it housed the torture chamber where the prisoners were encouraged to sing (to confess). Out of these cookies, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. antoinette marie conciergerie courtyard 1938 cliomuse walked prisoners And even more, a dreadful antechamber to the guillotine. Location:The Conciergerie is part of the larger Palais de Justice, which also contains Sainte-Chapelle. This domain of this cookie is owned by Vimeo. But heres my advice. Led by Robespierre, the radicalized revolutionaries unleashed the infamous violence known as the Reign of Terror. But the Conciergerie is usually overlooked by tourists who beeline next door to more famous Sainte-Chapelle. In the Kings absence, le Concierge was appointed a keeper to hold command of the royal residence, hence the term Conciergerie. The Chapel of the Girondins is dedicated to the 21 deputies of the Girondin party. Quelle fraude! Last admission is 45 minutes before closing. If you have had enough gloom and doom, youre in luck. As for the Conciergerie, it continued to be used as the seat of the Parliament of Paris (the highest judicial court in the kingdom). Enemies of the people were imprisoned without trial and duly sentenced. The verdict was either innocent or death, no murky middle ground. 2022 Travel? This title was regarded as a very high-ranking one as le Concierge was considered the Kings housekeeper. Your email address will not be published. Personally, I like a vibe of darkness, medieval gloom, and French Revolution gone awry when taking my geographical cures. This cookie is used for sales/lead correlation and for targeting and marketing purposes. If prisoners of a lesser status could afford it, they could buy a cell with a simple bed. The concierge was a very high ranking position, so important that when part of the palace was converted to a prison in 1391, it took its name from the ruling office. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. Save my name, email and website in the browser for my next comment. If the room is no longer standing, its lower floor remains.