Bastille Day, celebrated on July 14, commemorates the storming of the Bastille prison in 1789, an event that symbolized the uprising against the oppressive monarchy and the beginning of the French Revolution. The Bastille was a state prison used to hold political prisoners, and its capture by revolutionaries represented a powerful act of defiance against tyranny. Today, Bastille Day is celebrated with parades, fireworks, and parties throughout France, serving as a national holiday that embodies the values of liberty, equality, and fraternity established during the revolution.