Tribunal de commerce de Paris, Commercial courthouse in Île de la Cité, France

The Tribunal de commerce de Paris is a courthouse on the Île de la Cité, built from 1859 to 1865 to designs by Antoine-Nicolas Bailly. Its quadrilateral body measures 50 by 70 meters, with a light beige stone facade of tall rectangular windows and an octagonal dome 45 meters high set off-center above the northern entrance on the quai de la Corse. That entrance has three arcades on composite columns, topped by statues of Law, Justice, Firmness and Prudence.

Construction of the current building began in 1859 after being commissioned by Napoleon III, with architect Antoine-Nicolas Bailly overseeing the design and execution. The project reached completion in 1865, consolidating commercial justice functions that had been scattered across various Paris locations into a single powerful institution.

The court's nickname, "Quai de la Corse", comes from its main entrance on that quay and is used in the press for corporate insolvency cases. The first-floor main hearing room holds busts of Michel de l'Hôpital, who founded the court in 1563, and of Jean-Baptiste Colbert, author of the 1673 ordinance on commerce.

The building sits on the northern bank of Île de la Cité and is recognizable by its prominent dome from various vantage points around the island. Since this is an active courthouse, visitors should expect that access to interior spaces may be limited and advance arrangements might be necessary for viewing.

The octagonal dome is not centred on the building: Baron Haussmann required Antoine-Nicolas Bailly to align it with the newly rebuilt Boulevard de Sébastopol, which it closes in perspective. In his memoirs Haussmann regretted that the boulevard was not traced slightly further east, so that the Sorbonne dome would have formed the view.