Paris is a dream city that all lovers and adventurers aspire to. Paris is a mystery that attracts adventurers and travelers. Paris is a historical and scientific center that begs to be admired and explored. Paris is romance and love, mysterious and mysterious stories, fun and, of course, original holidays.

And if you are lucky enough to visit Paris, you should see and participate in the Day of Music, in the New Wine Festival or in the famous fairs. But the most important and significant holiday for the French can be safely called Bastille Day. The celebration of July 14 has been celebrated every year for more than 200 years. But the holiday is appreciated not only by the French. The whole world on this day remembers the feat of the French fighters for freedom and independence.

The Bastille for a long time in Paris had not just a nominal meaning. The fortress, which was built back in 1381, for several centuries terrified both ordinary and eminent residents of France. A huge number of historical and artistic facts are connected with the Bastille.

Within the walls of the fortress intended for political prisoners, thousands of dangerous criminals and innocent people disappeared without a trace.

The despotism of the monarchical system did not distinguish between estates and regalia.

The famous prison became the last refuge for kings and beggars, writers and politicians, free-thinking citizens and folk bards.

Lawlessness continued until 1789, when the patience of the common people was broken by increasing despotism and restriction of rights, which served as a pretext for the start of the Great French Revolution.

The beginning of the popular uprising was marked by the armed capture of the hated fortress-prison. After releasing some prisoners, the revolutionaries ruthlessly cracked down on the manager and guards of the prison.

The further fate of the Bastille was sealed. The fortress was razed to the ground, and the building stone went to the construction of the Concord Bridge.

Smaller fragments were useful for making miniature souvenirs in the form of copies of the Bastille.

On the site of the prison, which the people razed to the ground, the Parisian Pierre Paloy put up a sign. There was an inscription on it, which said that they were now dancing at this place.

The Bastille Day holiday was established in 1880. Since that time, the date of July 14 has become for the French a symbol of freedom. Therefore, the date is celebrated annually on a grand scale.

The festivities did not take place only during the Second World War due to the prohibition of the invaders.

And even for those who do not remember the historical background of the holiday and do not support patriotic motives, Bastille Day is a good occasion to relax and meet with friends. After all, the day in the country is declared a public holiday.

When and how is Bastille Day celebrated?

And let the scenario of the celebration remain unchanged - the spectacle never ceases to amaze with its grandeur and splendor.

Folk festivals are concentrated around organized discos, which take place in each district.

Firefighters draw special attention during the holiday. On this day, healthy men flaunt their dress uniforms, dancing at the Firemen's Ball. The action gathers a lot of spectators. And there is something to see. Dancing men in full gear cannot be ignored.

But if you want to see a real stunning ball, you will have to visit the Tuileries Garden. The Grand Ball takes place here, in which all the dance couples of France try to participate, who come to Paris in honor of the holiday, even from distant villages. But the atmosphere at the Big Ball is far from official. Here, the price is lightness and ease.

The culmination of Bastille Day on July 14, of course, is the military parade. Columns of infantry, naval army, gendarmerie, cavalry units, policemen, military musicians and even air force and artillery pass through the streets of the festive city.

The beginning of the parade is always the same and falls at 10 o'clock. The beginning of the march starts from the Place de l'Etoile and, moving through the streets and squares, approaches the Louvre.

On Vosstaniya Square itself, the parade is hosted by the President and the military leadership of the country. But to see the spectacle, you have to take a seat early.

Since the Parisians are trying to look at their military, both from the street and from the Champs Elysees, where a beautiful view opens from multi-storey coffee houses.

You can also watch the military parade from the stands, which are purposefully equipped on Concorde Square.

The love of Parisians for picnics remains unchanged on Bastille Day.

But on this day you can get to the largest picnic, which is held in the Palace of Versailles.

A prerequisite and a ticket for a general picnic are white clothes, which must be worn by all visitors without exception.

The original action on July 14 is held at the Louvre and the Opera. On this day, the doors of famous establishments are open to all visitors, and admission is absolutely free.

But there are not so many places in the same Opera. Therefore, guests and residents of the capital try to take their seats before the start of the performance, which always takes place at 19.30.

Salute is the final touch of the holiday. Its start time is 22:00. The action takes place right next to the Eiffel Tower.

The best view is from the Champ de Mars because the shots are fired from the Trocadero pool. During the fireworks, the French national anthem is played.

But the real entertainment events begin at the end of the solemn program. You can take part in dance evenings and watch concerts that take place in almost all squares. Or visit cafes, nightclubs, where thematic programs are prepared in honor of Bastille Day.

Where July 14th is Bastille Day

But if you didn’t manage to get to Paris for the solemn and entertainment events organized in honor of Bastille Day, it doesn’t matter. All cities and towns, large and small towns in France are trying to keep up with the capital and come up with their own original ways to celebrate the holiday.

In addition to France, since 2000, Germany has also joined the festivities. Here in Düsseldorf they organize an exhibition of rare cars that come to the city in advance.

The exhibition is accompanied by sales at fairs, concerts and, of course, treats from French cuisine.

Necessarily, in the representations and embassies of France located in other countries, solemn receptions are organized in honor of the holiday, where official representatives of the countries can exchange congratulations and words of solidarity.

This event of 1789 is the beginning of the French Revolution and is valued by posterity as a symbol of the political liberation of the common people from the despotism of power.

The revolution itself took place under the motto of the equality of citizens, universal brotherhood. Although it dragged on for a decade, the bourgeoisie, the peasantry and the urban lower class were able to defeat the old order, which led to a crisis in the country.

Not the last role was played by the uncertain reign of the monarch Louis XVI. The previous rulers greatly devastated the treasury, and all attempts to revive the economic condition were shattered by the opposition of the aristocratic elite. The nobility did not want to pay taxes, help the country, actively opposed the third, lower class to participate in making any decisions related to governance.

By the summer of 1789, the economic crisis had practically ruined French production, and political disagreements reached the limit, including over the endless change of finance ministers. A series of circumstances, such as natural disasters, also led to a sad ending, the overthrow of the monarchy. The associated crop failure caused a surge in famine and mortality, and the pre-revolutionary winter was especially harsh.

A combination of factors has created an urgent need to reform the system. But the upper class was not ready to give up either money or power. The organized National Assembly was under threat of dispersal, and the government troops, which were drawn to Paris, did not contribute to the adoption of peaceful decisions.

With 12 June the people began active opposition, under the influence and direct leadership of the leaders of the ideas of liberation. The French army switched sides Paris Commune and nothing could stop the masses. And on July 14, a decision was made to storm the famous prison fortress.

Completed by 1382 as a fortification, it soon became a haven for prisoners. Many horrifying stories have been seen on those walls, and many of them are real legends, such as the "Iron Mask", whose identity has not yet been unraveled. In the 16th century, being in the Bastille as a prisoner was even honorable and popular among philosophers, publicists and other free-thinking bright minds of that time: Voltaire, Cagliostro, Fouquet, Beaumarchais.

At the time of the attack, there were only 7 prisoners, but it was the bloody history of the Bastille that associated it with the power of the monarchy. At the same time, the attackers expected to replenish their arsenal at the expense of the ammunition depot. The active resistance of the prison garrison led to casualties: the losses on the part of the liberators amounted to almost 100 people. The commandant himself paid with his head for refusing to surrender.

Subsequently, a similar fate befell the representative of the Bourbons - Louis XVI. But the dynasty still exists, unlike the Bastille: after 2 months, the townspeople did not leave a single stone. At this place, decades later, the July Column was erected. By coincidence, it has nothing to do with 1789: it is in honor of other revolutionary events of July 1830 already.

The overthrow of the old government, the construction of a democratic society cost France a huge number of victims, but inspired other countries under the yoke of the ruling elite with their ideological example. Bastille Day, albeit with a slightly different, original-sounding name ("Le Quatorze Juillet" - "Fourteenth of July") was officially established as a national holiday in 1880. And now for the French, July 14 is a patriotic and joyful day with its own traditions. The Bastille is long gone, but it remains an unshakable symbol of France.

Celebrations in honor of distant events are wide-ranging, some starting the day before, such as the Ball at the Tuileries. The main part of the holiday is a military parade on the Champs Elysees. And to get to the Palace of Versailles, you should wear white. Paris Opera, many museums are free. In the evening, after the performance of the orchestra, fireworks begin on the Champ de Mars near another symbol - the Eiffel Tower.

Not only the French celebrate this holiday today. For example, in Germany over the past few years, a run of French cars has been organized, they are introduced to national cuisine. And in Russia, despite the events of 1812, they love French culture and remember this date. The special project "Bastille", which is implemented annually in St. Petersburg, will acquaint those who wish with the history and culture of France.

Category: Paris

The famous Bastille began to be built in 1370 during the reign of Charles V the Wise of the Valois dynasty. Construction was completed in 1381 under his son and successor Charles VI the Mad. It is unlikely that both kings could have imagined that the fortress, which over time began to be perceived as a stronghold of the French monarchy, would become a symbol of its collapse in four centuries.

However, this is exactly what happened, and all because the Bastille turned from a defensive fortification into an odious prison. Its prisoners were the architect Hugo Aubrio, Bishop Guillaume de Horacourt, Duke Jacques d'Armagnac-Nemours. Well, how many dissenters the powerful Cardinal Richelieu kept in the dungeons could not be counted at all. By the end of the 18th century, the patience of the French people began to come to an end ...

How did the march to the Bastille begin?

In the spring and summer of 1789, events began in the country that led to fundamental changes in the political and social system of the state and destroyed the monarchy along with its orders. They were called the French Revolution. The storming of the Bastille and the capture of the sinister fortress-prison became one of the key episodes of the popular uprising.

The starting point of the assault was the speech of the lawyer, journalist and revolutionary Camille Desmoulins on July 12 at the Palais Royal, the residence of the French kings (located opposite the northern wing of the Louvre). It was he who initiated the march on the Bastille on July 14, 1789, the storming of which became the beginning of the revolution. The day before, the revolutionary masses had sacked the city hall of Paris, Les Invalides, and the Arsenal.

The armed attack on the Bastille was led by the royal generals Pierre-Augustin Gülen and Jacob Job Elie, who had gone over to the side of the rebels. Compared to the large armed crowd, the garrison of the fortress looked pathetic. It consisted of 32 Swiss and 82 ... disabled people. The first, however, were armed with 13 guns. The only hope was for drawbridges and massive walls.

Events after the refusal of the garrison to surrender

True, the people at first offered surrender, but the commandant of the Bastille, the Marquis de Launay, refused. Then the revolutionaries around 13:00 began the assault. They occupied the first outer courtyard without difficulty. Then they cut the chains of the drawbridge with axes and occupied the second courtyard. He was the heart of the Bastille: here were the commandant and all his services. Both sides began to fire fiercely at each other.

Ordinary people found a way to protect themselves from the shots: they set fire to three large wagons of straw and hid behind thick smoke. De Launay understood that he could not resist the assault on his own, and Versailles was unlikely to send reinforcements. What to do? The commandant decides to blow up the Bastille, in which, by the way, then there were only seven prisoners: one murderer, four counterfeiters and two mentally ill.

White flag and ... a head like a trophy

But the idea failed: when the commandant descended into the powder magazine with a lit wick in his hand, non-commissioned officers Ferran and Bekar intercepted him. Having neutralized the failed arsonist, they forced him to convene a military council and announce surrender. The white flag was raised and the drawbridge lowered. On it, the revolutionaries marched victoriously into the courtyard of the fortress-prison.

The victors hanged several soldiers and officers of the garrison. The fate of de Launay was also unenviable, although Elie and Gulen wanted to save his life. But the enraged crowd on the way to the city hall recaptured the commandant from their commanders, beheaded him, and stuck the head of the unfortunate man on a pike. With this bloody trophy as a symbol of their victory, the revolutionaries then went around the whole city.

Bastille Day became a holiday

After the assault, the authorities of Paris decided to raze the fortress to the ground. The Bastille was demolished by the Parisians within two months. A sign was put up in the wasteland with the inscription “They dance here, and everything will be fine!” In 1780, her stones were used to complete the construction of the Louis XVI bridge (now the Pont de la Concorde). Now its place and the area to the east is occupied by Place de la Bastille, the center of which is crowned by the July Column.

Exactly one hundred years later, Bastille Day was proclaimed a national holiday in France. This date is celebrated not only in the republic itself, but throughout the world. After all, the siege and assault on the symbol of royal despotism entered the history of mankind as one of the most notable events. Meanwhile, the name of the former fortress acquired a nominal meaning, symbolizing oppression and violation of freedoms.

The holiday surpasses even the New Year in grandeur, although over 200 years its revolutionary spirit has been transformed. The French celebrate not so much the date of the storming of the Bastille as something patriotic, full of greatness, joy and pride in their country and its people. An official celebration program is compiled annually, which includes a number of secular and military events.

On the eve of July 13, the Grand Ball takes place in the Tuileries Garden. There are also firemen's balls organized by them in their divisions, and other balls throughout the city. On July 14, a military parade takes place on the Champs Elysees, which accompanies the formation of jet aircraft from the air. It starts at 10:00 from the Arc de Triomphe and moves to Place de la Concorde. Takes the parade of the President of France.

On the square, directly opposite the arch, there are places for spectators. The culmination of the holiday is a grand fireworks display at the Eiffel Tower and fireworks on the Champs de Mars. The pyrotechnic performance usually starts at 22:00. The official program of celebrations is somewhat modest, but ordinary people celebrate all day long - at home, in clubs, discos, parties and just on the streets.

Parisian revolutionaries and rebel troops stormed the Bastille, a royal fortress that symbolized the tyranny of the Bourbon monarchs.

This dramatic action marked the beginning of the French Revolution, a decade of political instability and terror in which King Louis XVI was deposed and tens of thousands of people, including the king and his wife Marie Antoinette, were executed.

History of the Bastille

Painting by artist Jean-Pierre Huehl “The Storming of the Bastille”

The Bastille was built in 1370 as a fortification to defend against attacks from the British. Later it was turned into an independent stronghold, and its name "Bastide" was changed to Bastille. The Bastille was first used as a state prison in the 17th century, and its cells were reserved for the upper class of criminals, political troublemakers and spies. Most of the prisoners were transferred to prison without trial or investigation by direct order of the king. At 100 feet high and surrounded by moats over 80 feet wide, the Bastille was an imposing structure in the Parisian landscape.

By the summer of 1789, France was rapidly moving towards revolution. There was a severe shortage of food, and popular indignation against the reign of King Louis XVI turned into a fury.

Bernard René, the military governor of the Bastille, was afraid that his fortress would become a target for the revolutionaries and requested reinforcements. On July 7, a company of mercenaries from Switzerland arrived to support his garrison of soldiers of 82. The Marquis de Sade, one of the few prisoners in the Bastille at the time, was transferred to an insane asylum after he tried to set the crowd outside his window, shouting, “They don't kill prisoners. You must come and free them." On July 12, the tsarist authorities transferred 250 barrels of gunpowder to the Bastille from the Paris Arsenal, which was more vulnerable to attack.

On July 13, revolutionaries with muskets began firing at the soldiers standing guard on the towers of the Bastille and then took refuge in the Bastille in the courtyard. That evening, the revolutionaries launch an assault on the Arsenal of Paris and acquire thousands of muskets. At dawn on July 14, a large crowd armed with muskets, swords and various types of improvised weapons began to gather to march on the Bastille.

The military governor received a delegation of revolutionary leaders, but refused to surrender the fortress and munitions, as they requested. He later received a second delegation and promised that he would not open fire on the crowd. To convince the revolutionaries, he showed them that his guns were not loaded. Three hundred revolutionaries hurried to the first bridge to lower it, and the soldiers in the fortress took up a defensive position. When the crowd began to try to lower the second bridge, the governor ordered his men to open fire. One hundred rioters were killed or wounded.

The soldiers managed to keep the crowd, but more and more Parisians began to gather in the Place de la Bastille. At about 3 pm, a company of deserters from the French army fled from the fortress. The soldiers hid in the smoke from the fires and dragged five cannons into the courtyard, which were sent towards the fortress. As a result, a white flag of surrender was raised over the fortress. Loney and his men were taken into custody, gunpowder and cannons were seized, and seven prisoners of the Bastille were released.

The storming of the Bastille symbolized the end of the old regime and provided the French Revolution with an irresistible impetus. Joining 80% of the French army, the revolutionaries captured Paris and then the French countryside, forcing King Louis XVI to accept constitutional power. In 1792, the monarchy was abolished, and Louis and his wife Marie Antoinette were sent to the guillotine for treason in 1793. By order of the new revolutionary government, the Bastille was demolished. On February 6, 1790, the last stone from the hated prison-fortress was presented to the National Assembly.

Federation Holiday

The Feast of the Federation on 14 July 1790 was a celebration of the unity of the French people during the French Revolution. The purpose of this holiday was to symbolize peace a year after the storming of the Bastille. The event took place on, which at that time was far outside of Paris.

Talleyrand, Bishop of Autun, took part in the feast. The popular General Lafayette, in his capacity as captain of the National Guard of Paris and confidant of the King, took his oath on the Constitution. After the end of the official celebration, the day ended with fireworks, fine wines, and naked people running through the streets of the city to show their greater freedom.

Military parade on Bastille Day

On the morning of July 14, since 1880, a military parade has been held in Paris on Bastille Day every year. Previously it took place elsewhere within or near the capital, and since 1918 it has been held on the Champs Elysées. Allies in the person of the Versailles Peace Conference take part in it, with the exception of the period of German occupation from 1940 to 1944 (when the ceremony was held in London under the leadership of General Charles de Gaulle). The parade passes along the Champs Elysees and not far from the Arc de Triomphe to the Place de la Concorde, where the President of the French Republic, his government and foreign ambassadors are located. This popular event in France is broadcast live on French television and is the oldest and largest regular military parade in Europe. Detachments of foreign troops and foreign statesmen who are present as guests take part in it.

On July 14, France celebrates the main national holiday of the republic - Bastille Day (L "anniversaire de la prise de la Bastille).

The Bastille is a fortress and state prison in the Faubourg Saint-Antoine in Paris, built in 1382. In the XIV-XVII centuries, the Bastille served as a fortification on the outskirts of the capital, almost with the completion of construction, the fortress served as a prison mainly for political prisoners.

The Bastille was a massive quadrangular building with eight towers, a vast courtyard and surrounded by a wide and deep moat, over which a suspension bridge was thrown. All this structure was enclosed by a wall with one gate. Each tower had a cellar where "restless" or prisoners caught trying to escape were kept, the next floor consisted of one room, in which, in addition to the bed, there was a table and two chairs. At the very top of the tower there was another room, which also served as a place of punishment for prisoners. The commandant's house and the barracks of the soldiers were located in the second, outer courtyard.

For 400 years, there were many famous personalities of France among the prisoners of the Bastille: the moralist writer Francois de La Rochefoucauld, the playwright Pierre Augustin Caron de Beaumarchais, the philosopher Francois-Marie Arouet de Voltaire was twice a prisoner of the Bastille. Under King Louis XV (1710-1774), the Bastille acquired the reputation of a royal prison, the prisoners of which disappeared forever in underground casemates. For many generations of the French, the fortress was a symbol of the omnipotence and despotism of kings. By the 1780s, the prison was practically out of use.

By the end of the XVIII century, France was on the verge of bankruptcy, a third of the population of Paris were beggars and vagabonds. In search of a way out of the financial impasse, King Louis XVI of France was forced on May 5, 1789 to convene the Estates General (the highest class-representative institution, convened by the king at critical moments in French history). Refusing to discuss particulars, on June 17 the deputies proclaimed themselves the National Assembly, and on June 23 they refused to obey the royal decree dissolving them. On July 9, 1789, the Assembly called itself Constituent, proclaiming its goal to develop the constitutional foundations of a new political order.

The reason for the siege of the Bastille was rumors about the decision of the king to disperse the Constituent Assembly, as well as the removal of the reformer Jacques Necker from the post of state controller of finances. Outraged Parisians took to the streets. On July 11, it became known about the concentration of royal troops near Paris.

On July 14, 1789, the Parisians, who decided to resist the troops, in the hope of taking possession of the weapons stored there. Traditionally, it is believed that the assault was undertaken in order to free the prisoners of the Bastille.

At that time, there were seven prisoners in the fortress - four counterfeiters, two mentally ill and one murderer.

The garrison of the Bastille numbered about 110 people. The assault on the fortress lasted four hours. The rebels broke into the fortress, the head of the garrison was torn to pieces by the crowd and beheaded, the prisoners were released.

In response to what happened, Louis XVI reinstated Necker and withdrew troops from Paris. After July 14, the Parisian municipality decided to demolish the Bastille. Within three years until May 16, 1791, the fortress was dismantled.

Currently, in its place is the Place de la Bastille, in the center of which rises the July Column. The opening of the monument took place on July 28, 1840. The bronze column, up to 80 meters high, has at the top a sculpture of the Genius of Liberty by Auguste Dumont, and at the base is decorated with bas-reliefs by Antoine-Louis Bari.

The victims of the revolutions of 1830 and 1848 are buried at the base of the July Column. Inside, 200 steps lead to a small balcony overlooking Paris.

The storming of the Bastille is considered the beginning of the French Revolution.

On May 21, 1880, Benjamin Raspail, a deputy for the city of Paris, proposed a bill for a new annual national holiday, 14 July. On June 8, 1880, the bill was passed by the Chamber of Deputies, and on July 6 it entered into force. The holiday was declared a non-working day. Throughout France, various events were held at the expense of the municipal budget: official ceremonies in educational institutions, the opening of statues - symbols of the Republic, the distribution of food to the poor, the decoration of the streets with flags, reviews of troops.

Currently, the official celebration program begins on July 13th. On this day, a number of solemn balls take place in France.

The next day opens the military parade on the Champs-Elysées, which starts at 10 am in the Place de l'Etoile and moves towards the Louvre, where the President of France receives him. The obligatory finale of the celebration is a grandiose fireworks display at the Eiffel Tower and on the Champ de Mars at 10 pm.

In addition to the official program, festivities are held throughout the country.

The material was prepared on the basis of information from RIA Novosti and open sources