The Conciergerie housed the Revolutionary Court at the end of the 18th century. It was associated with a prison, in which the atmosphere was particularly strained.
Inmates had to pay their own detention. The poorer were crammed in tiny cells with no furniture that were called the « Commun » or the « Straw » whereas wealthy prisoners could buy themselves a bit of comfort, receive visitors, write and even get their portrait painted one last time. Thus, when you entered the Conciergerie, you were convinced that it was simply an antichamber leading to death. In fact, all inmates weren’t killed. Plus, the Conciergerie has never been a place of execution. But it’s from its courtyard that carts would leave, taking prisoners to the guillotine.
