Bastille Day 2025: Date, History, Facts, Celebration

Bastille Day 2025, observed annually on 14th July, is the anniversary of the fall of the Bastille on the same day in 1789 in Paris, France. It was originally built as a medieval fortress and eventually it came to be used as a state prison. Bastille Day also commemorates the unity of the French people at the Fête de la Fédération on 14th July, 1790. It is a  major event of the French Revolution. The French celebrate Bastille Day as a way to recognize the significance of the Storming of the Bastille as the end of the royal monarchy and the beginning of its modern republic. It is a day of national celebration and holiday in France.

Bastille Day 2025 Date –  July 12

In this article readers can get a glimpse on

• History and Objective of Bastille Day
• Bastille Day Theme 2025
• Bastille Day Quiz

What is Bastille?

The Bastille is a fortress which was built during the Hundred Years War between France and England. It had eight towers that were 100 feet (30 meters) high, all connected by high walls that, making it hard to break in or out. There was also a moat around it that was more than 80 feet (24 meters) wide so no one could get inside without being seen first. It was later transformed into a prison where people were locked up without a trial and was associated with the harsh rule of the Bourbon monarchy.  On July 14, 1789, troops stormed the Bastille which became a pivotal event at the beginning of the French Revolution.

History and Objective of Bastille Day

Bastille Day, celebrated every year on July 14th, holds immense historical significance in France. The day commemorates two key events: the Storming of the Bastille in 1789 and the Fête de la Fédération in 1790. On July 14, 1789, tensions in Paris reached a breaking point due to growing public anger over inequality, high taxes, food shortages, and the absolute monarchy of King Louis XVI. Citizens of Paris, desperate and determined, seized weapons from the Hôtel des Invalides and marched toward the Bastille—a fortress-prison that had become a symbol of royal oppression and tyranny. Although the prison housed only seven inmates at the time, its fall represented a major turning point in the French Revolution, signaling the people’s rejection of authoritarian rule and their demand for liberty and reform.

Exactly one year later, on July 14, 1790, the Fête de la Fédération was held to commemorate national unity and the achievements of the Revolution. This celebration was meant to promote harmony among the newly formed constitutional monarchy, the National Assembly, and the citizens. The event brought together people from all over France to celebrate a vision of a peaceful and united nation, with King Louis XVI even taking an oath to uphold the new constitution. These twin events—one violent and revolutionary, the other peaceful and symbolic—collectively laid the foundation for a France that sought to abandon absolutism and embrace the ideals of liberty, equality, and fraternity.

Decades later, in the late 19th century, calls for a national day of remembrance grew stronger. On June 30, 1878, an unofficial celebration was held in Paris, followed by more organized festivities in 1879. These events rekindled public interest in honoring the Revolution as a defining moment in French history. Recognizing its enduring importance, politician Benjamin Raspail proposed in 1880 that July 14 be officially declared a national holiday. His proposal was accepted, and the law was enacted on July 6, 1880. Since then, Bastille Day has been observed annually as France’s National Day, symbolizing the people’s fight for freedom and democratic governance.

The primary objective of Bastille Day is to honor the values born out of the French Revolution—freedom from oppression, national unity, equality among citizens, and democratic rights. It serves as a reminder of the sacrifices made by the people in their struggle to overthrow tyranny and create a just society. In modern times, the day is not only about remembering the past but also about reaffirming commitment to the ideals of the Republic. Celebrations often include military parades, fireworks, concerts, and public gatherings that reflect the pride and unity of the French people. Bastille Day continues to inspire people both within France and around the world as a symbol of the enduring spirit of liberty and the power of collective action.

Bastille Day Facts

• In France this day is officially known as la Fête Nationale, or “The National Holiday.” Bastille day is an English term for the day that is used by non French individuals.
• The Bastille, formally known as the Bastille Saint-Antoine, was a fortress in the Hundred Years War and the main purpose of the fortress to keep invading armies out. The strategic location of the fortress helped stall an attack on Paris from the east. It became a royal prison in 1417 with eight towers and a moat and housed anyone who revolted against the King, so storming it felt like a liberation for the people. The practice of jailing the enemies in Bastille was started by Cardinal de Richelieu, under King Louis XIII. The storming of Bastille became a symbol of the people’s dislike of the monarchy.
• The storming of the Bastille took place in 1789 when the time tensions between the people and royalty were at an all time high. This is seen as the beginning of the French revolution and the basis of the constitution of modern-day France.
• While breaking into the Bastille, the revolutionists expected to find numerous inmates but there were only seven captives.
• Even though the storming took place in 1789, the law to make Bastille Day a national celebration was passed in 1880.
• On the day there is a large military parade on the Champs Elysees in Paris. It began in 1880 and is not only the oldest but also the largest regular military parade in Europe. In this parade, troops from other nations too march alongside their French counterparts.
• Bastille Day has become a international holiday as it is celebrated not only in France but also in places which were earlier under French rule, French communities and the Institut de France around the world. It is celebrated in Belgium, the Czech Republic, Hungary, India, New Zealand, South Africa, the United Kingdom, and in the United States.
• The mob that stormed the Bastille stole all the weapons they could find to use in their revolution against the monarchy.
• The famous writer and philosopher Voltaire was once a prisoner of the Bastille.
• Pieces of the Bastille were sold as souvenirs, and the Marquis de Lafayette gave the prison’s key to George Washington as a gift. It is kept on display today at Mount Vernon.

Bastille Day Celebration

Bastille Day is a day of celebrations of French culture. It is a public holiday in France. The traditional military parade on the Champs-Elysées is the main event. Several other public events including a military parade in Paris, as well as communal meals, musical performances, dances, parties and fireworks are held on this day. Service men and women from various units, including cadets from military schools, the French Navy and the French Foreign Legion, participate in the famous parade. The French president opens the parade and reviews the troops and thousands of people line the route. It is a day of leisurely family activities and celebrations. People go for picnics, or to restaurants and host parties. The celebrations are all about France’s tricolor flag and the words “Liberté, Egalité, Fraternité.” Both are symbols of France from the French Revolution days. The biggest celebration is a classical concert by the Eiffel Tower leading up to fantastic fireworks exploding high above the iconic monument.

Bastille Day Quiz 2025

1. In which year did the Storming of the Bastille take place?

A) 1776
B) 1789
C) 1804