Editing Conciergerie (section)

=== The Towers and facades ===
<gallery mode="packed" heights="200px">
File:Paris Conciergerie 265.jpg|North facade of the Conciergerie: Horloge (left); Caesar and Silver (center); Tour Bonbec (right) 
File:P1160444 Paris Ier conciergerie horloge rwk.jpg|The Tour de l'Horloge, or clock tower (14th and 16th century)
File:Horloge Palais de justice - Paris.JPG|The clock on the Tour de l'Horloge (14th century)
</gallery>

The four medieval towers of the north façade, along the Quai de l'Horloge between the [[Court of Cassation (France)|Cour de Cassation]] and the Boulevard du Palais, are the most prominent exterior vestiges of the old Conciergerie.

The '''Tour Bonbec''' is a circular tower with [[battlements]] and a conical slate roof located at the west end of the Conciergerie, next to the Cour de Cassation. It is the oldest of the towers, constructed in the 13th century under [[Louis IX]]. It was originally one level shorter than the other towers, but in the 19th century, under [[Napoleon III]], it was raised to its present height and form. The name of the tower comes from "Bon Bec," a slang word for a "Good talker". It is reference to the torture chamber, which during the Reign of Terror was located in this tower; it referred to those prisoners who spoke freely under torture.{{Sfn|de Parseval|Mazeau|2019|p=47}}

The gateway on the north is flanked by two circular towers with conical roofs, but without battlements. The '''Caesar Tower''', on the left facing the building, is named in honor of the Roman Emperors, particularly [[Julius Caesar]] who visited the island during the [[Gallic Wars]] to meet with the leaders of the Gallic tribes, and the later Emperors and Roman governors who lived on the island.{{Sfn|Fierro|1996|p=9-10}} The two towers were constructed in the early 14th century by [[Philippe IV]]. Later in the 14th century, the lower portions of the towers were connected to the prison of the Conciergerie, and were used as dungeons until the French Revolution. The '''Silver Tower''' on the right was used to store part of the royal treasury. After the court moved to Versailles, The upper parts of the two towers were attached to the Grand Chamber of the Parlement, and were used to store the civil and criminal registries of the kingdom. In 1793–94, at the height of the Terror, the chief prosecutor of the Revolutionary Tribunal, [[Antoine Fouquier-Tinville]], had his offices in the two towers, close to the courtroom of the Tribunal.{{sfn|de Parseval|Mazeau|2019|p=47}}

The most recent tower is the '''Tour de l'Horloge''', or clock tower, at the corner of the Boulevard du Palais and the Quai de l'Horloge. It was completed by [[John II of France]], and finished in 1350. It is the tallest tower of the Conciergerie, five levels high, with battlements and a lantern tower at the top; it served as both a watchtower and clock tower. The clock was installed during the reign of [[Charles VI of France]], and was the first public clock in Paris. In 1585 King [[Henry III of France]] embellished the clock with a new face, set on a blue background with gold [[Fleurs-de-lis]], and framed by statues of law and justice by sculptor [[Germain Pilon]]. The decoration was vandalised during the Revolution, and the large bell in the lantern, which was rung to celebrate major events, was taken out and melted down. The tower had been restored several times, most recently in 2012.{{sfn|de Parseval|Mazeau|2019|p=48}}

The current façades were built later than the towers. The north façade between the towers was built in the 19th century in [[Gothic Revival]] style. The eastern section, around the entrance, was built during the [[Bourbon Restoration in France|Bourbon Restoration]] in the early 19th century, while the western section was built by [[Joseph-Louis Duc]] and Étienne Théodore Dommey in the second half of the 19th century, under Emperor [[Napoleon III]]. They were almost completed in 1871, when the [[Paris Commune]] took charge of the city. The Communards set the building on fire in the last days of the Commune, badly damaging the interiors, but it was rebuilt in the late 19th century.{{sfn|de Parseval|Mazeau|2019|p=48}}