« In former times, there were many church parishes on the Cité. 1700 years later, most of them have disappeared. Such is the destiny of all great cities which have given birth to sacred places. Of the ancient monuments on the Cité, only Notre-Dame and some parts of the Palais remain. The Palais was the feudal overlords place of residence until the 14th century and then became the Parliament. Today it is the Palais de Justice, a curious amalgam erected in different periods, spanning from eht 13th century to present times. This conglomerate of buildings with the Sainte-Chapelle in the center is very representative of the french architecture from Saint-Louis to Napoleon III. »

Viollet le Duc