Timeline

Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The audience and the prisons of Saint-Amour were built in the 2nd quarter of the 18th century to replace the old prisons of the castle, considered unhealthy. This project is part of the installation of a gabelle justice system in 1705, requiring suitable premises. The architect Jean Querret du Bois led the works between 1730 and 1734, then a second campaign from 1739 to 1741. The building adopts a grid plan with two internal courtyards, organizing the spaces by levels: audience rooms on the floor, prisons on the ground floor, and basement cells.

The monument reflects the judicial organization of the Old Regime, where gabelle (salt taxes) required a strict local administration. Prisons, often overcrowded, illustrated the prison conditions of the time, while the audience symbolized royal authority. The site, registered with the Historical Monuments in 1997, is now owned by the municipality of Saint-Amour, in the Jura department (39).

The location, 18 Rue du Commerce, corresponds to the address recorded in the Merimée database, with geographical accuracy considered satisfactory (note 7/10). The protected elements include the entire building (cadastre AK 411, 412), demonstrating its heritage importance in the Burgundy-Franche-Comté region.

External links