This device has primarily been developed with not so awful intentions with which it was used and became a symbol of the terrible bloody terror which has covered France during revolutionary times.

The first guillotine which glory was brought by France has not been created in this country in the eighteenth century. If to agree with some historians in the eleventh century there was a certain Halifax Gibbet, having some similarity to the French guillotine, and it was applied to execution of criminals. Certainly, the design was more primitive, but, nevertheless, the fact of existence of such equipment is proved documentary.

In some centuries a “guillotine” has appeared in Ireland where local authorities in the beginning of the fourteenth century have started to use the equipment which on ancient images bears a strong resemblance to the guillotines used in France for execution. Thus to be executed by means of such a device, it was necessary to be the representative of notable estate or simply to be a rich person. Life deprivation through beheading at that time was considered more human and painless in Ireland.

As to France before the Great revolution there were many ways to deprive the criminal of life. The wheel, burning at the stake, gibbets — all it was rather widespread phenomenon in medieval Europe. Notable criminals went to a better world by means of a sword or an axe by which heads were chopped off. Executions were preceded by cruel tortures.

But, the Enlightenment epoch has begun, and many thinkers of that time have been revolted by such cruelty in relation to criminals. Here appeared the well-known nowadays Doctor Joseph-Ignace Guillotin also adhering to such views.

1789 was marked by the beginning of the revolution, and at the same time by change of life of the French society in all its spheres. Serious changes have quickly been made to legislative base of France mister Guillotin who has given a breadboard model of a stone guillotine took active participation in it. Two years later the guillotine became the unique tool for carrying out of death sentences. The inventor insisted on that execution has been hidden from extraneous eyes; however representatives of the new power have decided that executions should be carried out publicly.

Developers of the first guillotine were doctor-surgeon Antoine Luis and an engineer from Germany Tobias Schmidt. The first tests were made on animals and human corpses, and only after that the first executions by means of this installation have begun.  The first execution-by-guillotine was performed on highwayman Nicolas Jacques Pelletier on April 25, 1792. Eventually the guillotine design periodically underwent some completions and perfection, but this equipment became the first in own way.

After execution on one of the Parisian squares guillotine became the execution tool in the territory of all France and has received names “Louison” and “Louisetta”, and in some decades – a word habitual nowadays – “Guillotin”.

Unfortunately, this invention could become the tool in hands of executioners not only for criminals, but also representatives of an old political system which have gone to a better world through the guillotine. Today it is already history, and we should concern guillotine as the well-known historical character who anyway completely submitted to will of people.

First of all, let’s specify what “passage” means. In one of historical documents a name passage in Paris used to be exclusively given to walking path which connected two streets. These are such places where numerous shops and restaurants settle down; here enamored gentlemen appoint secret meetings to ladies. For today Paris has six thousand streets, and three tens from them are proudly called passages, however only their tenth part corresponds to the old name.

So, we will return to the object of our narration. Palais Royal along with many things in France has got interesting history. We all know that Cardinal Richelieu was an extremely influential person in the politics of France (and all Europe) in the seventeenth century. And this person constantly changed places, however he could not find really comfortable place for a life for a long time. In the countryside residences he could not show his active nature completely, and to live under the same roof with “the weak” monarch was below his honor, after all the Cardinal, whatever one may say, considered himself the main person in the country.

As a result in 1624 Richelieu has bought an estate of Angennes near the Louvre which at that time already had several buildings, a garden and defensive towers. It could not satisfy him, and he decided to erect a magnificent palace corresponding to the greatness of the Cardinal. The author of the project of this palace was a close friend of Richelieu architect Jacques Lemercier. He has constructed a majestic building fast enough; it has received the first name – Palais Cardinal.

The palace has turned out truly magnificent, it had everything possible to wish, including huge library, own theatre, a real Guards hall. The collection of picturesque paintings of the Cardinal consisted of hundreds of works of such well-known masters as Tiziano, Rafael, Rubens, Leonardo da Vinci, Dürer and others. Besides that, lots of unique sculptures pleasing a look of the owner have been installed in palace forcing to envy its visitors, including King Louis. As the Cardinal was the cleverest and most perspicacious person he understood that “impudence” of such kind can lead to serious problems with the monarch. And to exclude it, he bequeathed his palace to the Royal family after his death.

Louis XIII could not take full pleasure in all delights of the palace as he has lived a year longer than his minister and has left this world in 1643. However, the palace was not empty for long as his widow– Queen Anne d’Autriche has moved in there with the children (future king Louis XIV Le Roi Soleil among them) and her favorite Cardinal Mazarini. So, the palace got a new name of Palais Royal.

Apartments in Paris

Having ascended to the throne, the young monarch has left magnificent apartments which apparently did not cause warm feelings in him, and has presented it to his brother Philippe d’Orléans. The palace was in possession of this clan up to the Great French revolution.

For centuries Palais Royal (or Cardinal) has undergone many changes; however it always remained one of the most magnificent palaces in Europe. Today it is a gorgeous place which is visited by many thousand tourists from various corners of the world every year. We wish you, visiting Paris, come there personally to see all its magnificence.