Fall of Bastille
On July 14, 1789, a group of revolutionaries stormed and captured the Bastille, a medieval fortress in Paris that was used as a French state prison. The Bastille was a symbol of the tyranny of the reigning Bourbon monarchy and held an important place in the ideology of the French revolution, which in turn changed the face of modern politics across Europe and the world.
In 1880, the French government passed a law declaring July 14 a public holiday. Since then, the day has been commemorated as La Fete Nationale, or Bastille Day in English, across France and French-speaking areas.
