2. The courts of justice

2. The courts of justice

Welcome to the Holy-Ghost-Plateau also called ‘Plateau du Saint-Esprit’. This is where since 2008, the impressive new Courts of Justice and the most important judicial institutions of the country are located. Amongst these are the Supreme Court, the Justice of the Peace, the Juvenile Court and the offices of the highest public prosecuting attorney.

The imposing complex was designed by the Luxembourg architects Rob and Leon KRIER and covers an area of 33,500 square metres. It has an eclectic style with a mix of classicist and modern elements.

The planned location for the new courts of justice was controversial since the building was to be constructed on the vestiges of the Holy Ghost Convent, the so-called Altmünster. This was founded for aristocratic young women by the Duchess Ermesinde in the 13th century and later became the possession of the order of Clarissin nuns.

The French took possession of the convent buildings in the 17th century which continued to function as a barracks till they were demolished in 1770. The foundations of the convent were left almost completely intact. However, the construction plans for the new court buildings entailed the destruction of the old foundations. This elicited strong protest since the UNESCO regulations were meant to preserve the old city quarters. In the end, the opposing parties agreed to build an archaeological crypt under the judicial palace to protect the remains of the convent and make them available for an interested public.

Interesting Detail
After the French conquest of the city in 1648, their military engineer Vauban integrated the Holy-Ghost Convent into the new fortress complex.
The main building, the only remaining element of the old minster, was repurposed as barracks and functioned as a military hospital during World War II. From the 1960s, it functioned as the central registration office. In 2008, the regional court moved into the restored complex.

Significance for Human Rights
The judiciary represents the third element of state or governmental authority for the application of the law and the absolute respect for Human Rights. It represents the first two articles of the UN Charta: ‘All human beings are born free and equal and should be treated the same way’ and ‘Everyone is entitled to all the rights and freedoms set forth in this Declaration without distinction of any kind, such as race, colour, sex, religion, political or other opinion, national or social origin, property, birth or other status’. This means ‘All people are legally equal’. Symbolically the Courts of Justice in Luxembourg stand for these fundamental rights and the rule of law and therefore guarantee the protection and the rights of all the people in a democratic community.

Article 6
Everyone has the right to be recognised before the law.

Article 7
All are equal before the law.

Article 8
Everyone has the right to seek justice if their rights are violated.

Article 10
Everyone has the right to a fair trial.

Article 11
Everyone has the right to be presumed innocent until proven guilty.