Rouen Courthouse

Introducing Rouen’s Courthouse – a fine example of the Flamboyant Gothic style, with its intricate lace-like details. The edifice was built on the ruins of the city’s former Jewish quarter and its story begins in the late 15th century, back when its west wing was constructed to house the Exchequer of Normandy. In other words, this was the highest judicial and financial court made up of the region’s elite. It later became Parliament under Francis I. It quickly outgrew its space, and so they added a new building at the far end of the courtyard around 1508, then known as the Palais Royal, the Royal Palace. As you can see, this central wing was richly decorated. Its roof is truly a masterpiece, with skylights, a beautiful balustrade lined with pinnacles, a series of open arches and a number of statues representing all the social classes of the time – from monks and lords to peasants. The east wing of the building, with its clock tower, was the last one to be built at the end of the 19th century. During this period, the Rouen Courthouse also bore the brunt of the Allied bombings of 1944. A series of fires destroyed the interior decor, with the exception of the Court of Appeal, while countless shell holes scarred the rear façade on Jeanne d’Arc Street. These were never fixed to remind people of the horrors of World War II. Meticulously restored and rebuilt where necessary, the Rouen Courthouse is now listed as a historical monument. And as if that weren’t enough, during renovations in 1976, they discovered remnants of a Jewish building dating back to medieval times right beneath the structure. It became known as “La Maison sublime,” “The Sublime House,” and it’s considered to be the oldest surviving Jewish monument in France. The Rouen courthouse, ladies and gentlemen: two treasures in one!