May 21, 2014
Marie Antoinette was beheaded via the guillotine on October 16, 1793, approximately 8 months after her the execution of her husband, the former King Louis XVI of France.
The reasons behind the French Revolution and how the King and Queen lived shamelessly extravagant makes for very interesting reading. Simply put, in the end, revolutionary forces captured Louis and Marie-Antoinette during their attempt to flee the country, monarchy was abolished, and Louis and Marie-Antoinette were condemned for treason.
The Conciergerie is where Marie-Antoinette was imprisoned during the final days of her life. The building was originally a royal palace but in 1391 it became the Parliament of Paris and a portion of it used as a prison.
The Conciergerie
If you were imprisoned and had no money, your accommodations consisted of concrete walls, straw on the floor and a bucket.
If you had money to pay, you could possibly have a little nicer stay.
This was a re-creation of the cell Marie-Antoinette was kept in. She is dressed in black since she was mourning the death of her husband. She was also had two guards with her at all times.
Lists of the 2780 people who were executed by the guillotine .
The Hall of Men-at-Arms proves the building is not all doom and gloom. The architecture inside is beautiful with the way the light bounces around. This room used to be the dining room for the guards.
Lastly, this beautiful clock hangs on the outside of the Conciergerie. It is the oldest clock in Paris dating back to 1535. Granted, it has been restored more than once, but it still works. Just for grins, check the time against your smart phone……….
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