Bastille Square is one of the most important public spaces in France.
It is the symbolic site of the French Revolution, where the Bastille fortress stood, destroyed in 1789-1790. The storming of the Bastille on 14 July 1789 is still celebrated as one of the most important national holidays in France.
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Attractions on the square
Today, the Place de la Bastille is a busy traffic intersection, but also a venue for various mass events or fairs.
The centrepiece of the square is the 46 metre high bronze Pillar of July.
It was erected not to commemorate the storming of the Bastille (coincidentally also in July), but to commemorate the July Revolution of 1830, which saw the fall of the Bourbons and the establishment of a constitutional monarchy.
On top of the column is the famous golden statue of the Spirit of Liberty.
On the surface of the square, note the paving which resembles the layout of the original Bastille.
Also of interest are the paintings on the metro line 1 "Bastille" station commemorating the events of the French Revolution.
Accommodation at the Bastille
With 3 metro lines crossing the square and not far from the centre, the area is one of the most popular places to stay.
Prices here are a bit lower than in central Paris.
We would recommend staying in the following hotels:
How to get there
Bastille station is served by several metro lines and buses.
- Metro 1 - Hotel de Ville, Chatelet, Louvre, Palais Royal, Place de la Concorde, Petit + Grand Palais, Champs-Elysées, Arc de Triomphe, La Défense, Nation, Chateau Vincennes, Gare de Lyon
- Metro 5 - République, Bassin de la Villette, Place d'Italie, Gare du Nord, Gare de l'Est, Gare d'Austerlitz
- Metro 8 - République, Opera, La Madeleine, Place de la Concorde, Invalidovna, Champ de Mars, Zoo
- Bus 29 - Gare de Lyon, Centre Pompidou, Bourse, Opera, Gare Saint-Lazare
- Bus 69 - Centre Pompidou, Chatelet, Louvre, Musée d'Orsay, Invalides, Champ de Mars-Eiffel Tower, Pere-Lachaise Cemetery, Gambetta
- Bus 76 - Chatelet, Hotel de Ville, Pere-Lachaise Cemetery, Porte de Bagnolet
- Bus 86 - Latin Quarter, Invalides, Champ de Mars-Eiffel Tower, Nation, Porte de Vincennes
- Bus 87 - Latin Quarter, Musée d'Orsay, Invalides, Gare de Lyon, Gare de Bercy
- Bus 91 - République, Gare de l'Est, Gare du Nord, Gare de Lyon, Gare d'Austerlitz, Gare Montparnasse
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