Fête Nationale (14 July). Bastille, once symbol of despotism, absolute power & terror, now symbol of French Revolution & freedom

(quote)

Fête Nationale is celebrated all over France and in many countries. On July 14, 1789, the Bastille, prison in Paris, a symbol of despotism, absolute power & terror, was turned into a symbol of French Revolution & freedom.

The Bastille was a prison in Paris originally called the Chastel Saint-Antoine. It was built between 1370 and 1383 (under kings Charles V and Charles VI) to serve as a fortress for the protection of the city against Anglo-Burgundian forces during the Hundred Years' War. The four-and-a-half-story building, surrounded by its own moat, was located at the eastern main entrance to medieval Paris. It had eight closely-spaced towers, roughly 77.1 ft. (23.5m) high, which surrounded 2 courtyards & the armory. The storming of the Bastille on July 14, 1789 marked the beginning of the French Revolution. The event is celebrated annually on July 14 in France and many other countries, officially called the Fête Nationale.

(unquote)

Photos courtesy of AP / Reuters, Telegraph, AFP / Getty, and Boston French Library

Original Source: Wikipedia, Discover France, and Telegraph UK