Palais de Justice de Carpentras, Historic courthouse in Carpentras, France
Palais de Justice de Carpentras is a former bishop's residence turned courthouse in the center of Carpentras, France, built from 1640. Its square stone facade with tall windows draws on Italian palace design, and inside, the high-ceilinged courtrooms and decorated halls retain original 17th-century elements like painted mythological scenes and carved details.
The building was started in 1640 as a home for the bishop of Carpentras. After the French Revolution, it was converted into a courthouse in 1801 and has kept that role since.
Inside, visitors can see the Salle des États du Comtat, a gathering room from the time when the region was governed under the bishops. Local residents still walk across General de Gaulle Square in front of the building every day, where the stone facade forms a familiar backdrop to market days and casual meetings.
Plan your visit around scheduled guided tours, as the inside is not freely open to walk through and booking ahead is often needed. Wear comfortable shoes because you will be standing and moving through several rooms, and allow time to look around the nearby square and cathedral before or after the tour.
A courtroom frieze is attributed to Giovanni Francesco Romanelli, a painter who worked for cardinals in Rome. During recent renovation work, workers also discovered old caves, arches, and wall paintings hidden behind later additions, revealing layers of the site that even many locals never knew about.
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