The Bastille was originally a fortified castle, built in 1370 by Charles V -- a military fortress to protect the Porte Saint Antoine as well as the Hotel Saint Paul, where the king resided at the time.  Starting in 1382, Charles VI, who completed it, used it as a prison for dissidents. This continued over six centuries. Some of the more notable visitors at the Bastille included Voltaire and the Marquis de Sade.

Over time, the Bastille came to symbolize arbitrary and absolute monarchy. In the late 1700s there were numerous projects to demolish it, ranging from plans to replace the prison with a statue of Louis XIV, to the idea of razing 7 of the 8 towers of the Bastille and putting a statue of the king on top of the remaining tower. In 1784, the architect Courbet came up with plans for creating a public square in honor of Louis XVI.

However, on July 14, 1789, all these plans became irrevelant when the prison was destroyed in the midst of public uprising and all remaining prisoners set free.

Since 1831, the Spirit of Liberty has dominated the place de la Bastille, atop its 154-foot column, flourishing the flame of freedom.