Bastille Day
The Bastille played an important role in the internal conflicts of France and was stormed by a crowd during the French Revolution on 14 July 1789.
Friday 14 July 2023 | 11:19
Formally known as the Bastille Saint-Antoine, the Bastille was a fortress in Paris that was used as a state prison by the kings of France.
The Bastille played an important role in the internal conflicts of France and was stormed by a crowd during the French Revolution on 14 July 1789.
The Storming of the Bastille occurred on 14 July 1789, when revolutionary insurgents stormed and seized control of the medieval armory in the Bastille fortress.
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The prison was seen as a symbol of the monarchy’s abuse of power and its fall was the flashpoint of the French Revolution.
The building was later demolished and replaced by the Place de la Bastille.
History of Bastille Day
Around 100 years after the Storming of the Bastille, a feast was officially arranged in Paris on June 30, 1878, to honor the French Republic.
Following this, another semi-official feast was organized on 14 July 1879 to commemorate the event of the Storming of the Bastille.
In 1880, the government of the Third Republic decided to revive the festival of 14 July, and on 21 May, a law regarding this was proposed by Benjamin Raspail.
The law was signed by sixty-four members of government, to have “the Republic adopt 14 July as the day of an annual national festival”.
However, there was a disagreement on the date on which the national holiday should be observed. Some proposed the date to be 4 August to commemorate the end of the feudal system.
Others wanted 5 May (when the Estates-General first assembled), 27 July (the fall of Robespierre),
Bastille Day celebration
Celebration, Significance, History, and More About the Bastille Dayand 21 January (the date of Louis XVI’s execution) to be the date of the holiday. Finally, the government decided that the date of the holiday would be 14 July, the day on which the political prison of Bastille was seized.
Bastille Day is observed with great enthusiasm by the people of France with Europe’s largest parade organized in Paris to celebrate the event.
Many other countries around the world including the United States, Belgium, Canada, Czech Republic, Denmark, Hungary, India, Ireland, and others also organize events and parties to commemorate the day.
Bastille Day is celebrated around the world with French traditions such as French food, music, games, etc.
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