The witches' turrets and small dark windows give this building a brooding, foreboding appearance even on the sunniest of days. Located on the west side of Ile de la Cite, the Conciergerie, which dates back as far as the 14th century, has served both as a royal palace and law courts in its lifetime, but is most remembered for the role it played as a prison during the Revolution. When the Reign of Terror was at its height, over 1000 prisoners were incarcerated here at any one time, the majority of which ended up losing their heads on the guillotine. A visit here will give you some idea of the conditions that prisoners lived in - there are a number of reconstructed cells, including the one Marie Antoinette was held in before her subsequent execution on place de la Concorde. Along with the dungeons, you can also visit the arms room, gaurd room, kitchens, and restored medieval rooms of the ancient Capatian palace.
