The Palace of Human Rights

In the heart of the European district, the Palace of Human Rights embodies ambitious contemporary architecture. Inaugurated in 1995, this building designed by British architect Sir Richard Rogers, co-designer of the Centre Pompidou in Paris, showcases the values of justice. Its two cylindrical towers framing the entrance evoke the scales of justice, while the hall, flooded with light thanks to a large glass roof, symbolizes the Court's transparency and accessibility to all citizens. This is where the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) sits, tasked with ensuring respect for the European Convention on Human Rights by the 46 member states of the Council of Europe. Any signatory state or resident who believes their rights have been violated, after exhausting national remedies, can bring a case before this court. The decisions made are then binding on the states concerned. The public can visit this site during guided tours held on the first Friday of each month at 2:30 pm, in English or French, lasting about an hour. The Court's hearings are public and require arrival 30 minutes beforehand; dates are available online. Informational visits, reserved for legal professionals and students, can also be arranged on request for groups of 25 or more.