Paris, the city of love, lights, and romance, has a dark history of public executions. The city used to have several sites where people were publicly executed for their crimes.
These executions were a public spectacle where people would gather to watch the condemned meet their fate. Let’s take a look at some of the most famous execution sites in Paris.
Place de Grève
The Place de Grève was the main execution site in Paris for more than six centuries. It was located in front of the Hôtel de Ville, the city hall of Paris. The name “Grève” refers to the gravelly sandbank that used to be on the site before it was paved over.
From 1310 until 1830, more than 10,000 people were executed at this site. The executions were carried out by hanging or beheading using a guillotine. Some of the famous people executed at Place de Grève include Francois Ravaillac, who assassinated King Henry IV in 1610 and Charlotte Corday, who assassinated Jean-Paul Marat during the French Revolution.
Place Saint-Jacques
The Place Saint-Jacques was another famous execution site in Paris. It was located near Notre-Dame Cathedral and was used for public executions from 1290 until 1661.
The most famous execution that took place here was that of Enguerrand de Marigny, who was accused of corruption during the reign of King Philip IV. He was hanged from a gallows erected on top of a tower at Place Saint-Jacques.
Place de la Concorde
The Place de la Concorde is one of the most famous landmarks in Paris today, but it has a dark history as an execution site during the French Revolution. It was initially called Place Louis XV and was renamed Place de la Révolution during the Revolution.
During the Reign of Terror, more than 1,300 people were executed at this site, including King Louis XVI, Queen Marie Antoinette, and Maximilien Robespierre. The guillotine used for these executions was called “The National Razor.”
Montfaucon
Montfaucon was a gallows located on a hill outside of Paris. It was used for executions from the 13th century until the 17th century. The condemned were hanged from a wooden frame that had several ropes attached to it.
In addition to being an execution site, Montfaucon was also a place where the bodies of executed criminals were displayed as a warning to others. The bodies were left hanging on the gallows for days or even weeks.
Conclusion
Public executions were an integral part of Parisian life for centuries. The sites where these executions took place are reminders of the city’s dark past. Today, these sites have been transformed into public spaces or monuments that serve as reminders of France’s tumultuous history.
If you ever visit Paris and want to learn more about its history, make sure to visit these sites and pay homage to those who lost their lives there.