Champs-de-Mars

The Champ de Mars is a large public green-space in Paris, France, located in the 7th arrondissement, between the Eiffel Tower to the northwest and the École Militaire to the southeast. The name means "Field of Mars", from Mars the Roman god of war, because it was originally used for military training. It was probably named after the Campus Martius of Rome.

During the French Revolution, the Champ de Mars was the setting of the Fête de la Fédération, on the 14 July 1790. It was also the setting of a massacre on July 17, 1791, when a crowd collected to draft a petition seeking the removal of King Louis XVI. This happened just days after the second anniversary of the storming of the Bastille. Soldiers under the command of the Jean-Sylvain Bailly opened fire, killing about 50 people; whereas, General Lafayette had vainly tried to disperse the crowd.