The significant event that took place in 1789, signaling the start of the French Revolution, was the storming of the Bastille on July 14. The Bastille was a fortress and prison in Paris that symbolized royal tyranny. Its storming marked the people's uprising against the monarchy and was a turning point in the revolution. The event is celebrated annually in France as Bastille Day, symbolizing the fight for liberty and the end of oppressive rule. The revolution aimed to dismantle the existing feudal structures and promote ideals of equality, fraternity, and liberty, fundamentally changing French society.