Maison du Temple, Templar Commandery in Le Marais, France.
The Maison du Temple was a Templar commandery in Le Marais encompassing six hectares with a round church and a 40-meter tower completed in 1240. Residential and administrative buildings filled the fortified enclosure, making it a self-contained complex for religious and financial operations.
The commandery was established as a center for managing and collecting Templar funds from France and England before they were sent to the East. Following the order's dissolution, the complex saw different uses and eventually became infamous for another purpose in late 18th century.
The neighborhood names and street layout still reflect the medieval commandery that once dominated this area, with thoroughfares like Rue du Temple preserving the memory of what stood here. Walking through the 3rd district today, you can sense how this former religious complex shaped the urban fabric.
The site is accessible mainly through the surrounding streets and squares in Le Marais, as most of the original buildings are no longer visible above ground. Archaeological discoveries from 2011 at Carreau du Temple revealed foundations and remains, but the area functions today as public spaces rather than a monument.
The commandery tower became a prison holding the French royal family from 1792 to 1793 during the Revolution. This dark chapter transformed the medieval fortress into a symbol of the period's political upheaval.
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