Massive replica of Bastille prison goes down in flames in Russia (VIDEO)
It’s not a revolution, just a merry Russian holiday. A 20-meter-tall wooden replica of the historic French prison, Bastille, was torched in a spectacular stunt to mark the coming of spring.
Dummies, which represent winter, are set on fire every year across Russia as part of Maslenitsa festivities. But the creative people from Nikola-Lenivets art village, some 130 kilometers southwest of Moscow, are known for celebrating the ancient holiday with a twist.
Last year, they burnt a replica of a gothic cathedral and, this time, it was Bastille’s turn to go down in flames. The model of the infamous Paris prison, which was demolished by the people in 1789-90 during the French Revolution, was constructed from thousands of wooden pallets.
The massive structure burnt in a stunning pillar of fire, with spectators watching in amazement and shooting videos on their phones.
The Bastille replica was torched on Saturday “without a single inmate inside… without any revolutionary events and in full respect of [French Revolution leader] Robespierre and [deposed king] Louis XVI,” the artists said on their website.
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