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Heritage classified

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Origin and history

The Isle Palace, also known as the Island Palace, is an ancient fortified house built in the 12th century on an island formed by the Thiou in Annecy. This iconic monument, which has been reworked several times, successively served as a prison, a courthouse and a toll collection site. Its spindle-shaped architecture, with a core dating from the 12th or 13th century, reflects its strategic role in the old town.

In the Middle Ages, the palace was controlled by the lords of the island, vassals of the Counts of Geneva, before passing under the authority of the Monthouz in the 14th century. In 1356 Count Amédée III established a monetary workshop there, active until 1392. In the 15th century, the family of Luxembourg-Martigues transformed it into a royal residence, before it became a judicial and prison place under the Dukes of Genevois-Nemours.

From the seventeenth century onwards, the palace housed the prisons of Geneva and the courthouse, with courtrooms and dungeons still visible today. Ranked a historic monument in 1900, it escaped destruction despite various uses (box, asylum, warehouse). Since the 1980s, it has hosted the Centre d'Interprétation de l'Architecture et du Patrimoine (CIAP), offering exhibitions on local history and visits to its historical spaces, such as the triangular chapel or the old cells.

Recent restorations (2016-2017) have preserved its facades and roof, while highlighting its past role. The palace thus illustrates nearly nine centuries of Savoyard history, mixing seigneurial power, justice and architectural heritage. Its unusual location, in the heart of Annecy, makes it a symbol of the city, between medieval heritage and contemporary valorization.

The remarkable elements include the loggia of the courtroom, the dungeons superimposed along the Thiou, and the "law bench" where the edicts were proclaimed. The chapel, flanked by a tower of latrines, and the banches (avocado offices) complete this classified site, owned by the commune since the 19th century.

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