Jeannie's Travel Addiction

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……….