Bastille Day
Get ready to celebrate France's national holiday with fireworks, parades, and a whole lot of French culture and history!
Formally known as “French National Celebration,” Bastille Day is a holiday that is celebrated in France and its overseas territories every year on July 14th. This day marks the anniversary of a key event during the French Revolution—the storming of the Bastille—which happened in Paris in 1789 and ultimately led to the end of the monarchy in France. Its precursor was the Fête de la Fédération (Festival of the Federation), a celebration conceived just a year after the storming of the Bastille to honor the Revolution, the new form of government and the newly established political peace. This day became an annual celebration after 1880, when it was brought back as a holiday to honor the French Republic and commemorate both the Festival of the Federation and the storming of the Bastille.
History of Bastille Day
Originally built as a medieval fortress in the Hundred Years’ War around the 1370s, the Bastille was converted into a state prison, where political prisoners and citizens awaiting trial were often held. Because some of its prisoners were detained under direct orders from the king (particularly during the reigns of Louis XIV, XV and XVI,) this place came to symbolize the tyranny and absolute rule of the French monarchy under the Bourbon dynasty, which had ruled over France for thousands of years.
In early 1789, tensions were running high in France due to the state of the country’s economy (further aggravated by King Louis XVI’s decision to fire his finance minister, Jacques Necker, on July 10th) and the general disenchantment with the oppressive power of the monarchy. The revolutionary sentiment began to spread like wildfire, with fights breaking out all over Paris, and on July 14th, reaching the Bastille prison as a group of revolutionaries stormed the fortress in search of gunpowder and weapons. After a brief battle, they were able to take control of the prison. The storming of the Bastille marked the beginning of the French Revolution, which signified the downfall of the monarchy and the beginning of a democratic government. Bastille Day is therefore seen as a celebration of the well-known French ideals of liberty, equality, and fraternity associated with the Revolution.
The fortress, a symbol of the revolution, was torn down by the revolutionaries not long after it was seized. Today, the place is known as “Place de la Bastille,” a popular and often touristy site in the heart of Paris.
How to celebrate Bastille Day
Bastille Day is an official national holiday in France. Although it is celebrated in every city or town across the country, the largest celebrations take place in Paris. In the French capital, a military parade is held along the Champs-Élysées and up to Place de la Concorde, which is attended by the President and his government. The event also draws a lot of people to enjoy the parade and the spectacles surrounding it. The parade is followed by a fireworks display over the Eiffel Tower at sunset, and the people flock to the Champs-de-Mars parc or the Place du Trocadéro, even camping out along the banks of the Seine River, to secure the best view of the fireworks. This date is also celebrated in French communities around the world, as it is seen as a symbol of French culture and history.
Bastille Day
Formally known as “French National Celebration,” Bastille Day is a holiday that is celebrated in France and its overseas territories every year on July 14th. This day marks the anniversary of a key event during the French Revolution—the storming of the Bastille—which happened in Paris in 1789 and ultimately led to the end of the monarchy in France. Its precursor was the Fête de la Fédération (Festival of the Federation), a celebration conceived just a year after the storming of the Bastille to honor the Revolution, the new form of government and the newly established political peace. This day became an annual celebration after 1880, when it was brought back as a holiday to honor the French Republic and commemorate both the Festival of the Federation and the storming of the Bastille.
History of Bastille Day
Originally built as a medieval fortress in the Hundred Years’ War around the 1370s, the Bastille was converted into a state prison, where political prisoners and citizens awaiting trial were often held. Because some of its prisoners were detained under direct orders from the king (particularly during the reigns of Louis XIV, XV and XVI,) this place came to symbolize the tyranny and absolute rule of the French monarchy under the Bourbon dynasty, which had ruled over France for thousands of years.
In early 1789, tensions were running high in France due to the state of the country’s economy (further aggravated by King Louis XVI’s decision to fire his finance minister, Jacques Necker, on July 10th) and the general disenchantment with the oppressive power of the monarchy. The revolutionary sentiment began to spread like wildfire, with fights breaking out all over Paris, and on July 14th, reaching the Bastille prison as a group of revolutionaries stormed the fortress in search of gunpowder and weapons. After a brief battle, they were able to take control of the prison. The storming of the Bastille marked the beginning of the French Revolution, which signified the downfall of the monarchy and the beginning of a democratic government. Bastille Day is therefore seen as a celebration of the well-known French ideals of liberty, equality, and fraternity associated with the Revolution.
The fortress, a symbol of the revolution, was torn down by the revolutionaries not long after it was seized. Today, the place is known as “Place de la Bastille,” a popular and often touristy site in the heart of Paris.
How to celebrate Bastille Day
Bastille Day is an official national holiday in France. Although it is celebrated in every city or town across the country, the largest celebrations take place in Paris. In the French capital, a military parade is held along the Champs-Élysées and up to Place de la Concorde, which is attended by the President and his government. The event also draws a lot of people to enjoy the parade and the spectacles surrounding it. The parade is followed by a fireworks display over the Eiffel Tower at sunset, and the people flock to the Champs-de-Mars parc or the Place du Trocadéro, even camping out along the banks of the Seine River, to secure the best view of the fireworks. This date is also celebrated in French communities around the world, as it is seen as a symbol of French culture and history.
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