Sobre este lugar
Standing on a small natural rock in the middle of the River Thiou, the Palais de l'Île is the enduring symbol of Annecy, its pointed stone prow splitting the current like the bow of a ship. The oldest parts date from the twelfth century, when the building belonged to the Counts of Geneva, who used it as a stronghold, a residence and, from 1355, a workshop for minting coins. Yet its longest role was far grimmer. Recorded as a prison as early as 1325, it later became the city's Palais de Justice, and prisoners were held in its cells right up until 1864, with members of the Resistance imprisoned here once more during the Second World War. Listed as a historic monument in 1900, it now houses a small museum of local history and architecture, a beautifully preserved reminder of six centuries of Annecy life.
Datos clave
- 1325 year — First recorded as a prison in the accounts of the Counts of Geneva
- 1864 year — The building held prisoners in its cells until this year
- 2 prisoners — The earliest 1325 record mentions food paid for just two inmates
📍 Passage de l'Île 3, 74000, Annecy