July Column

The Colonne de Juillet commemorates the Revolution of 1830, rising at the heart of the Place de la Bastille. Its purpose is sharply defined: it celebrates the Trois Glorieuses—27 to 29 July 1830—when Charles X fell and the July Monarchy began under Louis‑Philippe. The monument’s story starts earlier, though. A first commemorative project was imagined in 1792, with a foundation stone laid on 14 July 1792, but it did not progress beyond that point. The site was formally chosen on 9 March 1831, and Louis‑Philippe placed a first stone on 28 July 1831, the anniversary of the revolution that brought him to power. Designed by Jean‑Antoine Alavoine and constructed by his partner Joseph‑Louis Duc, the column was inaugurated on 28 July 1840. For the ceremony, Hector Berlioz’s *Grande Symphonie funèbre et triomphale* was performed outdoors under Berlioz’s direction, with commemorative medals issued as well.

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