The July Column is open to the public

The Hotel Les Tournelles is located in the Marais, one of the oldest historic districts of Paris, and to explore the history of Paris, you only have to go a few steps. The Carnavalet Museum, the Place des Vosges and its Victor Hugo House, and majestic mansions such as the Salé, which today houses the National Picasso Museum, are just some examples of the fascinating places to be found in the surrounding streets. Continuing your walk, you’ll reach the Place de la Bastille, the famous square which marks the fringe of the old working-class neighbourhoods, the historic faubourgs of Paris. Arriving there, you will surely want to visit the July Column, a monument steeped in History with a capital H!

A famous silhouette

Since the French Revolution, the Place de la Bastille has hosted large public gatherings. From the revolutionary festivals of 1792 and 1793 to today’s demonstrations, the first election of François Mitterrand, the Gay Pride celebrations, and the rallies following the attacks on Charly Hebdo and November 13th, the image of the July Column surmounted by the stirring gilded figure of the Génie de la Liberté appears as a symbol of struggle but also a representation of the Republic and Liberty. This is no coincidence, as you will discover during your visit to the July Column. The monument was built to commemorate the Three Glorious Years, the revolutionary days in July 1830 during which King Charles X was overthrown. It then became the rallying point during the Revolution of 1848 and the Commune. 

A fascinating monument

A visit to the July Column, the base of which the public can now go inside, is fascinating for several reasons. First of all, you will discover the superb construction of the monument. Inspired by classical architecture, it has a massive base which houses a necropolis. In 1793, this base hosted a fountain commemorating the Revolution. Napoleon wanted to have a gigantic bronze elephant towering over it, but plans fell through and only a life-size plaster model occupied the spot for nearly 30 years. After the Revolution of 1830, it was decided to erect a monument in the spirit of Trajan’s Column in Rome. Cast in bronze, it is decorated with the names of the revolutionaries killed in 1830 as well as symbols of Liberty, France, and the City of Paris. The column is topped with a sculpture created by Auguste Dumont, representing a winged figure carrying a torch of enlightenment and broken chains. A guided tour will help you to decipher all these symbols and relive the succession of stirring events which have punctuated the history of Paris from the French Revolution to the present day.

A ten-minute walk from the Hôtel Les Tournelles, you can immerse yourself in the history of revolutionary Paris by visiting the July Column, open from October 21st. You can reserve your admission online to avoid queuing.

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Photo : beatrix kido

Hotel Les Tournelles, a 3-star hotel in the heart of the Marais