Pierre-François Palloy owned one of the largest building firms in Paris when the Bastille fell on July 14, 1789, and, after some debate over the fate of the prison that had come to symbolize tyranny in the city, he acquired a contract to dismantle the structure. Although Palloy did not receive payment for the work for several years, he was able to turn the rubble into profit by selling these model Bastilles made from the stones of the building itself.