Paris · GeoNFC
The fortress vanished. Its voice remained.
One square, several revolutions, and two dates worth distinguishing.
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The place’s story · free
Bastille
The square’s name recalls a vanished fortress. The column at its centre belongs to a different chapter of history.
- 1789
- storming of the Bastille
- 1830
- revolution recalled by the column
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Where is the Bastille? The fortress that gave this square its name no longer stands. On 14 July 1789, insurgents attacked it while also seeking gunpowder. The event became a symbol of the French Revolution. The fortress was later demolished, but the site continued to attract gatherings and historic events. Beware of an easy confusion: the July Column standing here commemorates victims of the revolution of 1830. It does not mark the same event as the storming of the Bastille. Several layers of memory overlap in this single square. Imagine its former walls for a moment. A building can disappear while its name and significance remain.
Historical source ↗3D · Bastille
Explore the place in 3D
Stylised model with simplified proportions. Historical Les Halles and the Bastille are illustrative reconstructions.
Your code for this place
This code belongs to this passport. Use it at another stop to unlock both stories.
A stamp records a page visit; it does not by itself verify physical presence.
Atlas of Lost Voices
Back to everyday lives
The voices of the people who gave the city life are fading. Find their messages and restore the atlas. Five Paris stops form the main quest; Versailles is a bonus.