The July Column at Bastille opens to the public: here is what is inside

Published by Rizhlaine de Sortiraparis · Photos by Rizhlaine de Sortiraparis · Published on October 22, 2021 at 03:13 p.m.
The Colonne de Juillet, which stands on the Place de la Bastille in Paris, opens its doors to the public on October 23, 2021. This is the opportunity to discover its necropolis and its secrets!

What's inside the Bastille Column? Parisians of a day and of all times can finally pierce the mysteries of the Column of July. This Saturday, October 23, 2021, the lower parts of the monument open to the public for the first time.

Stained glass windows, floors, ironwork, decorations, this Parisian monument has undergone restoration work in preparation for this reopening. This work led by the Center for National Monuments began in October 2016 until spring 2018 to restore its splendor to this symbolic building of Parisian heritage.

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It's been 180 years since the July Column stood on the Place de la Bastille. But what does it mean exactly? Contrary to popular belief, it is not there to symbolize the storming of the Bastille but to commemorate the Three Glorious Years, the second French revolution. Moreover, we can read at the bottom of the column:

"To the glory of the French citizens who armed themselves and fought for the defense of public liberties in the memorable days of July 27, 28, 29, 1830"

Thus, all along this bronze column, we find the names of the victims who fell during these days of revolution. The monument itself stands on a necropolis in which rests the bodies of revolutionaries who fell during the Three Glorious Days.

From now on you can discover the necropolis of the July Column through guided tours limited to 18 people, every Saturday and Sunday at 2:30 pm and 4:30 pm. Reservation is mandatory on the website of the Centre des Monuments Nationaux and the visit is proposed at the rate of 13€ and it will take 1h30.

Practical information

Location

Pl. de la Bastille
75004 Paris 4

Route planner

Access
Bastille metro station (lines 1, 5 and 8)

Prices
€13

Average duration
1 h 30 min

Official website
www.colonne-de-juillet.fr

Booking
www.monuments-nationaux.fr

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