Inauguration after renovation 6 mars 2017 (≈ 2017)
Presence of the Urvoa Seal Guard.
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui Aujourd'hui (≈ 2025)
Position de référence.
Heritage classified
The facades and roofs of the original building, including the two towers in front of the main façade and the fence of the posterior courtyard; inside: the entrance hall, the hall of the lost steps with its stairs and galleries; courtrooms with their shrouded or arched panels and ceilings (Case 80 119): inscription by order of 2 July 1992
Key figures
Skjöld Neckelmann - Architect
Designer of the palace between 1894-1897.
Jordi Garcés - Catalan architect
Directs the renovation (2014-2016).
Jean-Jacques Urvoas - Seal keeper
Inaugurate the palace renovated in 2017.
Origin and history
The courthouse of Strasbourg, built between 1894 and 1897 by architect Skjöld Neckelmann, is part of the urban development of the Neustadt, the German "new" imperial district of Strasbourg. It replaces the former court set up on Rue de la Nuée-Bleue since 1789, marking a modernisation of the judicial infrastructure under German administration. The building, of monumental style, reflects the architectural ambitions of the era, with facades and a room of characteristic pas-loses.
During the 1918 Revolution, the palace briefly became the seat of the Supreme Soviet of Strasbourg. German imperial symbols, such as the portraits of the sovereigns and the emperor's bust, are removed and replaced by Karl Marx's, illustrating the political upheavals of this period. This ephemeral episode reflects the social tensions and regime changes that marked Alsace after the First World War.
Until recent years, the palace has housed the Bas-Rhin assize court, the district court and the high court. In 1992, several of its elements, such as facades, roofs, entrance towers, vestibule, pas-lose hall and courtrooms, were listed as historic monuments, recognizing their heritage value. These protections also concern interior decorations, such as studded panels and ceilings, typical of the craft of the late nineteenth century.
Between 2014 and 2016, a major renovation project, led by Catalan architect Jordi Garcés, modernises the building at a cost of €63.2 million. During the work, the judicial services are relocated to temporary premises, including a building in Iceland. The renovated palace was inaugurated in March 2017 by the Keeper of the Seals Jean-Jacques Urvoas, marking his return as the central judicial centre of Strasbourg.
Today, the Strasbourg courthouse remains a symbol of both the German architectural heritage in the city and the continuity of French judicial institutions in Alsace. Its location in Neustadt, a UNESCO World Heritage district since 2017, reinforces its historic and urban importance.
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