Construction of Bastille

The Bastille was a medieval fortress in Paris, begun in 1370 under King Charles V to defend the eastern gate of the city, and built with eight round towers. In later centuries it lost its military role and was used as a state prison, holding people who had been detained by royal order, including some writers and political offenders. By the 18th century it had become a symbol of arbitrary royal power. On 14 July 1789, at the start of the French Revolution, a crowd attacked and captured it while looking for gunpowder and weapons, even though it held only a handful of prisoners at the time. The fortress was demolished in the months that followed, and 14 July is now France's national holiday.

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