The Bastille: From a fearsome fortress to the heart of Paris For most of us, the word \"Bastille\" is first and foremost a symbol. A symbol of the French Revolution, the people's anger, and the fall of the old order. July 14, 1789 — the day when the Parisian rebels stormed this prison-fortress, forever changing the course of world history. But what is the Bastille today? The fearsome stronghold, praised in novels and captured in engravings, disappeared from the face of the earth almost immediately after the revolution. In its place, one of the most lively and iconic squares of the French capital rose, where the past and the present intertwine in a fascinating pattern. This place where you can hear the echo of revolutionary songs and the rhythms of modern urban life at the same time. The fortress that became a prison The history of the Bastille began in 1370 when King Charles V ordered the foundation stone of a new fortress to be laid. It was supposed to protect the eastern approaches to Paris from the English, whose troops were raging during the Hundred Years' War. The construction, which lasted about ten years, was completed by 1382. The fortress turned out to be impressive: a massive rectangular building with eight towers about 30 meters high, surrounded by a wide and deep moat with water. Inside was a spacious courtyard, and the only entrance was a lifting bridge. It impressed as an impenetrable fortress that was supposed to inspire respect both in enemies and in the citizens. As early as 1476, Jacques d'Armelanc, Duke of Nemours, was first imprisoned here — a state criminal. From this moment on, the Bastille began its long and dark history as the main political prison of France. For more than four centuries, its walls have housed prisoners of all kinds: from noble nobles and rebellious princes to religious dissidents and authors of banned books. Here, the infamous \"Iron Mask\" — the mysterious prisoner whose face was always hidden, and many others, whose n ... Read more