Palais de Justice de Besançon, Renaissance courthouse in Besançon, France

The Palais de Justice de Besançon occupies the former Parlement de Besançon, built in 1585 by architect Hugues Sambin and rebuilt between 1745 and 1749. Its main facade, in Renaissance style, has a porch closed by an 1861 grille, above which stand two statues representing Justice and Force. The building now houses the court of appeal, the judicial court and the commercial court.

The courthouse occupies the premises of the former Parlement of Besançon, built in 1585 by the architect Hugues Sambin and altered in later centuries. The palace was rebuilt between 1745 and 1749. In 1970 an attack partly damaged the buildings, and in 1991 a modern project by the architect Henri Gaudin was adopted to group the courts on one site, completed in 2003.

The building keeps the name of the parliament of Besançon, whose premises it occupies; the court of appeal sits here today alongside the judicial and commercial courts. Above the porch, closed by an 1861 iron grille, stand two statues representing Justice and Force, and the vestibule, its grille and the grand staircase are protected furnishings.

The building is easily reached by bus lines L3, L4, L6, and 10, providing convenient access for visitors. It is advisable to check opening times beforehand, as occasional court proceedings or hearings may affect public access.

The main facade between the two corner pavilions has been a classified monument historique since 14 October 1911. Inside, the vestibule with its grille and decoration, the grand staircase, the solemn hearing room, the salle des pas perdus, the first and second chambers and the fireplace of the indictment chamber were inscribed on 27 December 1979.