On what date did the storming of the Bastille occur?

The storming of the Bastille occurred on July 14, 1789, in Paris during the opening phase of the French Revolution.

Revolutionary insurgents attacked the Bastille to obtain gunpowder and weapons, following the seizure of muskets at the Hôtel des Invalides. The medieval fortress also represented royal authority and the monarchy's power to imprison people by royal order. After several hours of fighting, the garrison surrendered and the Bastille fell to the insurgents.

The event became a revolutionary symbol even though the prison held only seven inmates at the time. Its governor, Bernard-René de Launay, was killed after the surrender, and the fortress was soon dismantled. The fall of the Bastille helped demonstrate that royal authority could be challenged by popular action and accelerated unrest across France.

July 14 is now France's national holiday, commonly called Bastille Day in English. The celebration also commemorates the Fête de la Fédération, a large ceremony held on July 14, 1790, the first anniversary of the storming. That later event is sometimes confused with the original attack, but the date asked here refers to July 14, 1789.