Palace of Justice of Aix-en-Provence, Neoclassical courthouse in Place de Verdun, Aix-en-Provence, France.
The Palace of Justice is a neoclassical courthouse located at Place de Verdun that features a symmetrical stone facade decorated with sculptural elements. Artistic ornaments by Joseph-Marius Ramus depicting legal figures frame each side of the building's exterior.
Construction started in 1787 under architect Claude-Nicolas Ledoux but halted during the French Revolution. Work resumed in 1822 under Michel-Robert Penchaud and the building opened to the public in 1831, representing continuity after decades of interruption.
The main hall features three decorative wall paintings titled 'La Cour du Roi René' created in 1906 by Henri Rondel showing Provence's connection to the French crown. These artworks reflect the region's past and shape how visitors experience the interior space.
The building sits centrally at Place de Verdun and is easily reached on foot from the city center. Keep in mind this is an active courthouse with security protocols, so interior access may be limited depending on judicial proceedings.
The building's location required demolishing roughly two hundred houses and the former Comtal Palace to make room for this monumental structure. This extensive urban clearance fundamentally reshaped the city's layout in this quarter.
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