Palais de l'Île

Originally a simple quadrangular building known as a fortified house, which occasionally housed the prison and the mint of the Counts of Geneva, the building now known as the Palais de l’Île is a unique medieval monument. It is built on a natural rocky island. The fortified house was first mentioned in 1325 as a prison when the lord of Annecy paid Jean de Monthoux, lord of the Île, for the food of two prisoners. In 1355, Count Amadeus III of Geneva obtained from Emperor Charles IV of the Holy Roman Empire “the right to mint gold and silver coins on his lands.” A construction project established a mint, which ceased operations by the end of the 14th century. The House of Geneva died out. Since Annecy and the Genevois region were attached to the Duchy of Savoy, Duke Amadeus VIII granted the house as a fief to the Monthoux family. At the end of the 16th century, the building—which by then housed the court—also came to be known as the Palais de Justice de l’Île. Starting in the 18th century, the building was used for administrative purposes, while retaining its primary function as a prison until 1864. A new jail was then built. It has since been demolished. The Palais de l’Île served as a nursing home from 1865 to 1880. At that time, the Annecy City Council considered demolishing the Palais de l’Île to make way for public baths, but the plan was later abandoned. The building was temporarily used as a drawing school for stonemasons and carpenters, as well as for gymnasiums and housing. André Theuriet, a novelist, and Charles Suisse, an inspector of historic monuments, spoke out against the demolition plan. On February 16, 1900, the Palais de l’Île was designated a historic monument. A first restoration project was immediately launched. The most recent restoration campaign took place from 1983 to 1985. As part of the national “Cities of Art and History” designation, this monument now houses the CIAP (Center for the Interpretation of Architecture and Heritage), dedicated to the history and development of our region. You can explore the dungeons of the former prison and discover the rooms of the old courthouse.