The Bastille was a fortress and prison used by the French monarchy for hundreds of years. It became famous as a symbol of oppression; its prisoners were often people who had been imprisoned without trial.
Key Points
- The Bastille was built in the late 14th century as a fortress protecting Paris from invaders.
- By the 17th century, the Bastille also served as a prison, typically for political prisoners who had been imprisoned without trial.
- In 1789, during the early days of the French Revolution, a group of revolutionaries stormed the Bastille, releasing the prisoners who were held there, and it became a symbol of the overthrow of the Ancien Régime.
Why it was important
The storming of the Bastille prison by the revolutionaries is often considered the beginning of the French Revolution. The fall of the Bastille became a symbol of the overthrow of the Ancien Régime and sparked a series of events that led to the creation of a republic.