Place de la Bastille
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
  Place de la BASTILLE
|
|
|---|---|
  |
|
| Arrondissement | IVe, XIe, XIIe |
| Quarter | Arsenal . Roquette . Quinze-Vingts . |
| Length | 215 m |
| Width | 150 m (average) |
| Creation | 27th June 1792 |
| Denomination | |
|
|
|
July Column
  |
|
The Place de la Bastille () is a square in Paris, where the Bastille prison stood until it was stormed and subsequently torn down between July 14, 1789 and July 14, 1790 during the French Revolution; no vestige of it remains.
The square straddles 3 arrondissements of Paris, namely the 4th, 11th and 12th. The square and its surrounding areas are normally called simply Bastille.
The July Column (Colonne de Juillet) which commemorates the events of the July Revolution (1830) stands at the centre of the square. Other notable features include the Bastille Opera, the Bastille subway station and a section of the Canal Saint Martin. Prior to 1984, the former Bastille railway station stood where the opera house now stands.
The square is a popular venue for Parisians and tourists, and is often home to concerts and similar events. Night life in the north eastern area of Bastille is strong, thanks to its many cafés, bars, night clubs, and concert halls.
Because of its historical significance, the square is often used for political demonstrations, including the massive anti-CPE demonstration of March 28, 2006.
[edit] History
In June 16, 1792, it was decided the area occupied by the Bastille should be turned into a square celebrating liberty, and that a column would be erected there. The first stone was laid by Palloy, however construction did not commence. A fountain was built in 1793.
In 1808, as part of several urban improvement projects for Paris, Napoléon planned to have a monument in the shape of an elephant built here. It was designed to be 24 m (78 ft) in height, and to be cast from the bronze of cannons taken from the spanish. Access to the top was to be achieved by a stairway set in one of the legs. However, only a full scale plaster model was built. Victor Hugo immortalized the monument in the novel Les Misérables where it is used as a shelter by Gavroche. The monument was demolished in 1846.
In 1833, Louis-Philippe decided to build the July Column as originally planned in 1792. It was inaugurated in 1840.
[edit] See also
[edit] External links
- Satellite image from Google Maps
- Images of the July Column (Insecula)
- Gilded statue, Génie de la Liberté, at the summit of the Column (Webshots user photo - links to bigger version)
