France’s National Day, more commonly known as Bastille Day in English, is a national holiday in the country celebrated on July 14 of each year with fireworks and parades. It marks the fall of Bastille, a military fortress and prison, on July 14, 1789, when an angry crowd burst into it, marking the start of the French Revolution.

Here’s everything you need to know about July 14 and why it’s celebrated:

1. On Wednesday July 14, 2021, France will celebrate its national day, also known as Bastille Day. In French it’s called the National Day or the 14th of July.

2. The Bastille was originally built as a fortress guarding the eastern entrance to the city of Paris during the 1300s. It was then used as a French state prison and place of detention for important people in the 17th and 18th centuries. centuries, according to the online English Encyclopedia Britannica.

3. It was stormed by a mob of angry revolutionaries on July 14, 1789, who then freed the seven prisoners held at the site. It is widely regarded as the signal for the French Revolution.

4. Last year, the celebrations were largely stifled due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the France 24 online news site reported. The celebrations only saw half of the attendees than usual. and the number of spectators has also been reduced. The fireworks also took place without an audience.

5. Prime Minister Narendra Modi wished French President Emmanuel Macron last year on this occasion. «Congratulations to my dear friend @EmmanuelMacron and to the nice people of France on the occasion of July 14! We are committed to further strengthening India’s important strategic partnership with France and expanding our cooperation, ”Modi tweeted last year.

6. In 2016, the day marked a great sadness for the French following a truck attack in the city of Nice, in which 86 people were killed. Mohamed Lahouaiej-Bouhlel, a 31-year-old Tunisian, carried out the attack, for which ISIS later claimed responsibility, the BBC reported.