Courtrooms are not places where one usually wants to be, but some buildings are so beautiful that they are worth visiting as tourists. They are rightly called palaces of justice.
1 Kuala Lumpur Court Complex, Malaysia
This is the largest court complex in the world, covering 12 hectares. It took three years to build and operates 24/7. The complex houses 76 courtrooms, a library, a relaxation area, and a park.
2 Palace of Justice, Florence
Almost all judicial bodies of Florence are located in this building. Planned to be completed by 2006, it was finally inaugurated in 2012. The palace measures 240 by 146 meters, with a total usable area exceeding 800,000 square meters and housing several thousand employees.
3 Peace Palace, International Court of Justice
Located in The Hague, this building sits in the center of a 7-hectare park. Constructed between 1907 and 1913, its most recognizable feature is an 80-meter high clock tower.
4 Palace of Justice, Paris
Situated on the Île de la Cité, it still hosts court sessions. Occupying over 4 hectares, or about one-third of the island, the complex includes Sainte-Chapelle and the Conciergerie. The building’s internal area is approximately 200,000 square meters, with around 15,000 people passing through daily.
5 Palace of Justice, Rome
Construction took 22 years and was marred by one of the largest corruption scandals in the country. Nevertheless, the building was completed and put to use. It measures 170 by 155 meters and is styled in late Renaissance and Baroque.
6 Palace of Justice, Nuremberg
This building is famous for the Nuremberg Trials, where Nazis were tried for their crimes in Room 600. This historical significance makes it a major attraction, despite being relatively young, completed in 1916, with an interior area of about 65,000 square meters.
7 Palace of Justice, Brussels
This is the largest building constructed in the 19th century, covering 52,000 square meters. The main hall is 97.5 meters high. Its construction required clearing an entire district in Brussels, symbolizing the new unified Belgium.
8 Palace of Justice, Milan
This building occupies an entire block, approximately 30,000 square meters. Constructed over eight years, it houses the headquarters of the Court of Appeal, Tribunal, and Magistrate’s Court. The exterior is modest, but the interior features works by Italian artists and sculptors.
9 Palace of Justice, Munich
Considered one of Germany’s most beautiful buildings, it was constructed in the Neo-Baroque style, measuring 136 by 81 meters and topped with a 66-meter dome. It was here that the 1943 trial of the White Rose members, who opposed the Nazi regime, took place.
10 Palace of Justice, Poitiers
One of the oldest palaces still in existence, built by Charlemagne in the 9th century. It burned down 300 years later but was rebuilt and remains in this form. In the Middle Ages, it was the residence and court of the Counts of Poitiers. In the 19th century, it was converted into a district court building.
