July Column
Monument Bronze column in Paris commemorating the 1830 revolution
The July Column at Place de la Bastille commemorates the 1830 July Revolution; visitors encounter its history alongside the Bastille area’s markets, cafés and contemporary urban life.
The July Column (Colonne de Juillet) is a 19th-century monumental column standing in Place de la Bastille, Paris, erected to commemorate the July Revolution of 1830. It was built in the 1830s as a national memorial to those who fell during the uprising.
Commissioned after the July Revolution of 1830, construction and installation of the column took place during the 1830s, with the crowning statue added when the monument was completed. Inscriptions and reliefs at the base record names and events associated with the uprising.
Positioned in the centre of Place de la Bastille in eastern Paris, the column occupies the historic site of the Bastille fortress and is easily reachable from the Bastille metro and nearby boulevards.
- Commemoration: Raises on the footprint of the former Bastille fortress and serves as a civic monument to the July 1830 uprising that brought down Charles X.
- Crowning statue: Topped by a gilded statue representing the Genius of Liberty sculpted by Auguste Dumont and installed when the monument was completed.
How to Get to July Column #
Place de la Bastille is served by Métro lines 1, 5 and 8 (Bastille station). Numerous buses and Vélib’ stations are nearby; the site is central and easily reached on foot from the Marais or the Seine.
Tips for Visiting July Column #
- Visit at sunset to see the column silhouette against the changing sky - the Bastille area has lively cafés for afterward.
- Avoid the busiest metro exits during weekday rush hour if approaching on the métro; use surface streets for a calmer arrival.
- Combine with a walk along the Canal Saint-Martin or a visit to Opéra Bastille nearby.
Best Time to Visit July Column #
The monument is best enjoyed in spring and autumn when Paris is pleasant for walking; evenings around Bastille are lively.
Weather & Climate near July Column #
July Column's climate is classified as Oceanic - Oceanic climate with mild summers (peaking in July) and cold winters (coldest in January). Temperatures range from 2°C to 25°C. Moderate rainfall (677 mm/year), distributed fairly evenly throughout the year.
January
January is the coolest month with highs of 7°C and lows of 2°C. Moderate rainfall (54 mm) and mostly overcast skies.
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February
February is cold with highs of 8°C and lows of 2°C. Moderate rainfall (49 mm) and mostly overcast skies.
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March
March is cold with highs of 12°C and lows of 4°C. Moderate rainfall (61 mm) and partly cloudy skies.
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April
April is cool with highs of 15°C and lows of 6°C. Moderate rainfall (57 mm) and partly cloudy skies.
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May
May is cool with highs of 20°C and lows of 10°C. The wettest month with 64 mm of rain and mostly overcast skies.
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June
June is cool with highs of 22°C and lows of 13°C. Moderate rainfall (57 mm) and partly cloudy skies.
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July
July is the warmest month with highs of 25°C and lows of 15°C. Moderate rainfall (62 mm) and partly cloudy skies.
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August
August is the warmest month with highs of 25°C and lows of 15°C. Moderate rainfall (44 mm) and partly cloudy skies.
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September
September is cool with highs of 21°C and lows of 12°C. Moderate rainfall (55 mm) and partly cloudy skies.
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October
October is cool with highs of 16°C and lows of 9°C. Moderate rainfall (62 mm) and mostly overcast skies.
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November
November is cold with highs of 11°C and lows of 5°C. Moderate rainfall (55 mm) and mostly overcast skies.
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December
December is cold with highs of 8°C and lows of 3°C. Moderate rainfall (57 mm) and mostly overcast skies.
