The Place de la Bastille is a square in Paris, France, where the Bastille prison stood until the “Storming of the Bastille” occurred. Subsequent to its destruction between July 14, 1789 and July 14, 1790 during the French Revolution, no vestige of it remains. The Square and its surroundings are normally known as the Bastille. The July Column at the center commemorates the events of the July Revolution. The Bastille Opera, the Bastille subway station and a section of Canal Saint Martin also can be seen here. Before 1884, the Bastille railway station existed here, which has been replaced by the Opera house.

Many concerts take place here and it is a busy area. There are cafes, bars and night clubs here, which make it a delightful tourist destination. The square is used for political demonstrations and the massive anti-CPE demonstration of March 28, 2006 took place here at the Bastille. In June 1792, this area became a square for celebrating liberty. A column and a fountain were erected here as memorials.

The Bastille was originally built between 1370 and 1383 as part of the defenses of Paris. It was made into a prison in the 17th century by Charles VI. Originally it housed political prisoners, but later religious prisoners, seditious writers, and young rakes were also incarcerated here.

The building was made up of eight closely packed towers by the late 18th century. The prisoners had rooms of about fifteen feet each. The Bastille was a place of horror and oppression, a symbol of autocratic cruelty according to popular literary accounts.

The atrocities piled up leading to a confrontation between the commoners and the ancient regime which led to the storming of the Bastille on July 14, 1789. A crowd of thousand people gathered outside in the mid morning, calling for the surrender of the prison, the removal of guns and the release of arms and gunpowder. Two people were chosen to represent the people gathered and invited for negotiations inside the fortress. The restless crowd broke into the undefended outer courtyard by mid afternoon and the chains on the drawbridge were cut. Exchange of gunfire took place. The victors swept inside the fortress to liberate the prisoners around 5.30 pm. Now, the original outline of the fort is clearly marked on the pavement of the streets and sidewalks with special paving stones.

Today, the place which is a square is home to Opera Bastille. The large ditch behind the fort is now a marina for pleasure boats. On weekdays, there is a large open air market here. Fish, fruit, meat, cheese and bread are sold at the market. Clothing and flea market items are also to be seen here. On weekends artists and craftsmen come here for their business.

France is a great place to enjoy art, food, romance and shopping, so tourists are encouraged to stay at a Paris hotel when exploring the city. By staying at a luxury hotel in Paris , tourists have the opportunity to indulge in the best in Parisian luxury.