Le Palais de Justice

Today I was lucky enough to go inside the Palais de Justice. It is not really open to tourists because the courts are usually in use. It is located on the island in the center of Paris near Notre Dame, where Paris originated. It is so beautiful.



Look at all of the guilding and iron work...and this is just the outside! The tall spire to the left is Saint Chappelle...an absolutely gorgeous church. It was a church for royalty (because they couldn't go to church with the commoners who went to Notre Dame) and it is reflected in the design and decoration. I didn't go inside but I found some pictures.



This is the lower level where the lower class people worshipped. It is painted in the most brilliant blue but is probably not even a shadow of what it used to look like. On the blue walls are tiny little gold fleur de lis, the French royalty's symbol.





These are the amazing Saint Chappelle windows. These pictures do not do justice to them...they are absolutely beautiful and so intricate. You look at them and can't even imagine the work that must have gone into the windows and how they survived all these centuries and the Revolution.



So this is the front of the Palais de Justice. I couldn't find any pictures of the interior (aside from the lobby) but nothing in the US would ever compare to this. Nothing. The ceilings have the most intricate and colorful murals and guilding. There are marble statues and carvings all over the walls. The walls are ever painted and muraled. Absolutely beautiful. I guess that is one of the great things about having a monarchy...they spend money like no other to surround themselves with beautiful things.

After the Palais I walked over to Notre Dame but there were too many tourists to go very close. But when I do make it over there I'll take a picture of the square. It is very cool because the square has markings showing where all of the streets were located in the Middle Ages. Very cool. It also has a plaque marking the center of Paris and where all distances are measured from.

After visiting Notre Dame I went back to the office.
Later, when my uncle and I came home, my great uncle Albert and my great aunt Therese were waiting. Uncle Albert is from Normandy and exhibits many characteristics of a true Norman. He drinks calvados like water, is always very excited and he talked non-stop. I don't even know how to describe Calvados, I just know that all I can handle is about a drop. I swear, if you ran out of gas it could probably power your car!

Uncle Albert is one of those people that even if you know absolutely no french you could understand the conversation. He usually acts out what he is talking about with his hands. Very animated person. And I like him because he always tell me I'm beautiful. :)



On the lest is my aunt Martine, then my great aunt Therese, then Uncle Albert, and then my uncle Michel.