Place de la Bastille

The Place de la Bastille in Paris is where the fortress of the same name used to stand. The very fortress that was stormed on 14 July 1789 and got dismantled within a couple of years as it was a symbol of Absolute Monarchy.

Today a beautiful column ornates the middle of the square. It has nothing to do with the 1789 Revolution, it is a reminder of the second French Revolution! Quick refresher: after the defeat of Napoleon, European monarchs restored the French monarchy regardless of the will of the population...

The two younger brothers of Louis XVI: ie Louis XVIII and Charles X were back and ruled successively from 1814 until Parisians rose up again on 27, 28 and 29 July 1830. These are the dates one can see on the Bastille column.