Temple (Paris)

The Temple was a medieval fortress in Paris, located in what is now the IIIe arrondissement. It was built by the Knights Templar from the 12th century, as their European headquarters. In the 13th century it replaced earlier works of the Vieille Temple (Old Temple) in Le Marais. Parts of the fortress were later used as a prison.

The enclosure (called enclos du Temple) originally featured a number of buildings important to the running of the order, and included a church and a massive turreted keep known as Grosse Tour (great tower), and a smaller tower called Tour de César (Caesar's Tower). The fortress was destroyed in 1808 to avoid the pilgrimage of royalists (since this was the prison of Louis XVI for some time); today the Temple Paris metro stop stands on the old location. The heavy doors of the Grosse Tour still exist and are kept at Château de Vincennes whose great keep (attributed to Raymond du Temple) is speculated to have been inspired by the nearby Templar fortress.

French Revolution

The Temple is notorious for having been the French royal family's jail at the time of the Revolution. The royals imprisoned at the Temple's tower were:

  • King Louis XVI, who on 21 January 1793 was taken from there to be guillotined at the Place de la Révolution;
  • Marie Antoinette, taken on 1 August 1793 from the Temple's tower to the Conciergerie, from where she eventually was also taken to the guillotine;
  • Madame Élisabeth, who stayed for 21 months at the tower before being taken on 9 May 1794 to the Conciergerie and guillotined the following day;
  • Louis XVII, who reportedly died at the tower on 8 June 1795, at the age of ten.
  • Princess Marie-Thérèse, who stayed at the tower for three years and four months before being sent into exile.

In 1808, the Temple having become a place of pilgrimage for royalists, Napoleon ordered most of its demolition, which took two years. The rest of what was left of the Temple was ordered demolished by Napoleon III around 1860. Today this place is now a stop-over of the Paris Metro,the carreau du temple and the Palais de Justice (Courthouse) of the third arrondissement.

References in Literature

In Patrick O'Brian's Aubrey/Maturin series, Jack Aubrey, Stephen Maturin and a young Lithuanian, Jagiello, are held prisoner at the Temple Prison during its demolition inThe Surgeon's Mate.

Listed in the following categories:
Post a comment
Tips & Hints
Arrange By:
There are no tips nor hints for Temple (Paris) yet. Maybe be you will be the first one to post useful information for fellow travellers? :)
6.7/10
1,138 people have been here
Map
10 Rue Dupetit-Thouars, 75003 Paris, France Get directions
Thu 8:00 AM–10:00 AM
Fri 5:00 AM–10:00 AM
Sat 11:00 AM–8:00 PM
Sun 2:00 PM–3:00 PM
Mon 8:00 AM–10:00 AM
Tue 7:00 AM–10:00 AM

Rue du Temple on Foursquare

Temple (Paris) on Facebook

Hotels nearby

See all hotels See all
Magnificent Studio Heart of Paris

starting $87

Melia Paris Notre-Dame

starting $678

Hotel Les Rives de Notre Dame

starting $606

Hotel Le Notre Dame

starting $299

Hotel Henri IV Rive Gauche

starting $249

Hotel Esmeralda

starting $99

Recommended sights nearby

See all See all
Add to wishlist
I've been here
Visited
Place de la République

The Place de la République is a square in Paris, located on the

Add to wishlist
I've been here
Visited
Musée de la Chasse et de la Nature

The Musée de la Chasse et de la Nature is a private museum of hunting

Add to wishlist
I've been here
Visited
Musée des Arts et Métiers

The Musée des Arts et Métiers is a museum in Paris that houses the c

Add to wishlist
I've been here
Visited
Hôtel de Soubise

]]

Add to wishlist
I've been here
Visited
Musée Picasso

The Musée Picasso is an art gallery located in the Hôtel Salé in ru

Add to wishlist
I've been here
Visited
Porte Saint-Martin

The Porte Saint-Martin is a Parisian monument located at the site of

Add to wishlist
I've been here
Visited
Museum of French History

The Musée de l'Histoire de France is a state museum of French history

Add to wishlist
I've been here
Visited
Musée d'Art et d'Histoire du Judaïsme

The Musée d'Art et d'Histoire du Judaïsme is a museum of Jewish art a

Similar tourist attractions

See all See all
Add to wishlist
I've been here
Visited
Suomenlinna

Suomenlinna, until 1918 Viapori, (Finnish), or Sveaborg (Swedish), is

Add to wishlist
I've been here
Visited
San Juan de Ulúa

San Juan de Ulúa, also known as Castle of San Juan de Ulúa is a l

Add to wishlist
I've been here
Visited
Palamidi

Palamidi is a military fortress to the east of the Acronauplia in the

Add to wishlist
I've been here
Visited
Fortress of Luxembourg

The Fortress of Luxembourg refers to the former fortifications of

Add to wishlist
I've been here
Visited
Ehrenbreitstein Fortress

Ehrenbreitstein Fortress (German: Festung Ehrenbreitstein) is a

See all similar places