Old Quebec (french: Vieux-Québec) is a historic neighbourhood of
Quebec City
Quebec City ( or ; french: Ville de Québec), officially Québec (), is the capital city of the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian province of Quebec. As of July 2021, the city had a population of 549,459, and the Communauté métrop ...
,
Quebec
Quebec ( ; )According to the Canadian government, ''Québec'' (with the acute accent) is the official name in Canadian French and ''Quebec'' (without the accent) is the province's official name in Canadian English is one of the thirtee ...
, Canada. Comprising the Upper Town (french: Haute-Ville) and Lower Town (french: Basse-Ville), the area is a
UNESCO World Heritage Site
A World Heritage Site is a landmark or area with legal protection by an international convention administered by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). World Heritage Sites are designated by UNESCO for h ...
. Administratively, Old Quebec is part of the
Vieux-Québec–Cap-Blanc–colline Parlementaire
Vieux-Québec–Cap-Blanc–Colline Parlementaire is one of the 35 districts of the City of Quebec
Quebec City ( or ; french: Ville de Québec), officially Québec (), is the capital city of the Canadian province of Quebec. As of July 2021, ...
district in the borough of
La Cité-Limoilou
La Cité-Limoilou is the central borough of Quebec City, the oldest (in terms of architecture), and the most populous, comprising 21.85% of the city's total population. As an administrative division, it is very new, having only been formed on ...
.
The area is commonly referred to as "the Old City" or "Quebec's Old City" in English.
It is sometimes referred to as the ''Latin Quarter'' (french: Quartier latin) as well, although this title refers more to area around the
Séminaire de Québec
The Seminary of Quebec (French: Séminaire de Québec) is a Catholic community of diocesan priests in Quebec City founded by Bishop François de Laval, the first bishop of New France in 1663.
History
The Séminaire de Québec is a Society of d ...
, the original site of
Laval University
Laval means ''The Valley'' in old French and is the name of:
People
* House of Laval, a French noble family originating from the town of Laval, Mayenne
* Laval (surname)
Places Belgium
* Laval, a village in the municipality of Sainte-Ode, Luxemb ...
.
Upper Town
Samuel de Champlain
Samuel de Champlain (; Fichier OrigineFor a detailed analysis of his baptismal record, see RitchThe baptism act does not contain information about the age of Samuel, neither his birth date nor his place of birth. – 25 December 1635) was a Fre ...
chose the Upper Town as the site for Fort Saint Louis in 1608. It has remained the city's military and administrative centre because of its strategic position atop the promontory of
Cap Diamant Cap Diamant (English: Cape Diamond) is a cape on an edge of the Promontory of Quebec and on which Quebec City is located, formed by the confluence of a bend in the St. Lawrence River to the south and east, and the much smaller Saint-Charles River t ...
. It was occupied mainly by British government officials and Catholic clergy after the British Conquest, while French and English merchants and artisans lived in Lower Town.
![Quebec city, Canada 07](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/46/Quebec_city%2C_Canada_07.jpg)
Military use did hamper growth in the Upper Town for many years, and a movement arose in the late 19th century to demolish the
fortifications
A fortification is a military construction or building designed for the defense of territories in warfare, and is also used to establish rule in a region during peacetime. The term is derived from Latin ''fortis'' ("strong") and ''facere'' ...
as obsolete and as an obstacle to urban development. It was
Lord Dufferin
Frederick Temple Hamilton-Temple-Blackwood, 1st Marquess of Dufferin and Ava (21 June 182612 February 1902) was a British public servant and prominent member of Victorian society. In his youth he was a popular figure in the court of Queen Vict ...
who successfully persuaded officials to preserve and rebuild them.
The area declined and fell into disrepair in the 1950s but new building began in the 1970s.
![Jardins de l hotel de ville de Quebec - 06](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/fb/Jardins_de_l_hotel_de_ville_de_Quebec_-_06.jpg)
Most of the buildings date to the 19th century, although some 17th and 18th centuries remain as well. The area has several commercial streets like Saint Jean, Sainte Anne and De Buade. Some public administration and other institutions in the Upper Town are the
Quebec City Hall (Hôtel de Ville), the Séminaire de Québec, the Ursulines Convent, and the Augustinian Monastery and l'
Hôtel-Dieu de Québec
The Hotel-Dieu de Québec is a teaching hospital located in Quebec City, Quebec, Canada, and affiliated with Université Laval's medical school. It is part of the Centre hospitalier universitaire de Québec (CHUQ), a network of five teaching hosp ...
. There are many hotels, including the
Château Frontenac
The Fairmont Le Château Frontenac, commonly referred to as the Château Frontenac, is a historic hotel in Quebec City, Quebec, Canada. The hotel is situated in Old Quebec, within the historic district's Upper Town, on the southern side of Place d ...
, the Old City being a very popular tourist destination.
Parks in the Upper Town include De l'Esplanade, Artillerie, Des Gouverneurs and Montmorency parks as well as the grounds of l’Hotel-de-Ville.
Lower Town
The Lower Town is a historic district located at the bottom of
Cap Diamant Cap Diamant (English: Cape Diamond) is a cape on an edge of the Promontory of Quebec and on which Quebec City is located, formed by the confluence of a bend in the St. Lawrence River to the south and east, and the much smaller Saint-Charles River t ...
. During 1608,
Samuel de Champlain
Samuel de Champlain (; Fichier OrigineFor a detailed analysis of his baptismal record, see RitchThe baptism act does not contain information about the age of Samuel, neither his birth date nor his place of birth. – 25 December 1635) was a Fre ...
built a
habitation where its remains can be found with Place Royale as its centre. It was restored with the goal of reconstructing the French flair from its origins. Construction of the Church of
Notre-Dame-des-Victoires started during 1687 at this location and was completed during 1723. The
Musée de la civilisation
The Musée de la civilisation, often directly translated in English-language media outside Quebec as the Museum of Civilization, is a museum located in Quebec City, Quebec, Canada. It is situated in the historic Old Quebec area near the Saint La ...
, the Musée naval de Québec, the caserne Dalhousie and the Théâtre Petit Champlain are among some of the museums, performance halls, theatres and exhibition venues in Lower Town.
![Iglesia de Notre-Dame-des-Victoires](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/0c/Iglesia_de_Notre-Dame-des-Victoires.jpg)
Places such as the Louise Basin, Brown Basin, La –Pointe-à-Carcy, the
Gare du Palais
Gare du Palais ("Palace Station") is a train and bus station in Quebec City, Quebec, Canada. Its name comes from its proximity to the Palace of the Intendant of New France. It is served by Via Rail, Canada's national passenger railway, and by t ...
and the Marche du Vieux-Port can be seen from the
Port of Quebec
The Port of Quebec (french: Port de Québec) is an inland port located in Quebec City, Quebec, Canada. It is the oldest port in Canada, and the second largest in Quebec after the Port of Montreal.
History
In the 19th century, the Port of Quebec ...
.
Other places of interest include:
* Place de Paris,
* Parc Ulric-Joseph-Tessier,
* Saint-Pierre Street,
* Saint-Paul Street,
* Sault-au-Matelot Street and
* Saint-Vallier Est Street, previously called Saint-Charles Street, the first paved road in Quebec.
A
funicular
A funicular (, , ) is a type of cable railway system that connects points along a railway track laid on a steep slope. The system is characterized by two counterbalanced carriages (also called cars or trains) permanently attached to opposite en ...
(
Old Quebec Funicular
The Old Quebec Funicular (french: Funiculaire du Vieux-Québec) is a funicular railway in the Old Quebec neighbourhood of Quebec City, Quebec, Canada. It links the Haute-Ville (Upper Town) at Dufferin Terrace to the Basse-Ville (Lower Town) at R ...
) allows for easy transportation up
Cap Diamant Cap Diamant (English: Cape Diamond) is a cape on an edge of the Promontory of Quebec and on which Quebec City is located, formed by the confluence of a bend in the St. Lawrence River to the south and east, and the much smaller Saint-Charles River t ...
connecting to Upper Town from the narrow Petit-Champlain road at the foot of the Cape to the top with a marvelous view of the city. Côte de la Montagne is another option for hikers.
The Historic District of Old Quebec
![Monument UNESCO Quebec 03](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/93/Monument_UNESCO_Quebec_03.jpg)
The Old Quebec heritage site is located in Quebec City although it is administratively recognized as a part of the borough
La Cité-Limoilou
La Cité-Limoilou is the central borough of Quebec City, the oldest (in terms of architecture), and the most populous, comprising 21.85% of the city's total population. As an administrative division, it is very new, having only been formed on ...
. It has gained recognition as a part of Quebec's cultural heritage and is also among
UNESCO
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations (UN) aimed at promoting world peace and security through international cooperation in education, arts, sciences and culture. It ...
’s
World Heritage Site
A World Heritage Site is a landmark or area with legal protection by an international convention administered by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). World Heritage Sites are designated by UNESCO for h ...
s.
Background
During 1956, the Historic Sites and Monuments Board of Canada was given the authority to acquire or expropriate any "site, building or other place of national historic interest or significance".
The historic district was established following public debates from 1945 to 1965, concerning the preservation of Old Quebec and the restoration of Place Royale. The historic district of Old Quebec is a UNESCO World Heritage List since 1985.
The district was established by the
National Assembly of Quebec
The National Assembly of Quebec (officially in french: link=no, Assemblée nationale du Québec) is the legislative body of the province of Quebec in Canada. Legislators are called MNAs (Members of the National Assembly; french: link=no, déput ...
on July 10, 1963 after an amendment to the Historic Sites and Monuments Act. The act made the area in the historic area of the city a "Declared Historic District" (french: Arrondissement historique décrété) by the province of Quebec, and was expanded the next year to an area of . It includes 1,400 buildings within the neighbourhood of
La Cité, including the promontory of
Cap Diamant Cap Diamant (English: Cape Diamond) is a cape on an edge of the Promontory of Quebec and on which Quebec City is located, formed by the confluence of a bend in the St. Lawrence River to the south and east, and the much smaller Saint-Charles River t ...
and a strip of land below the cliffs, between the
Saint-Charles River and the
Saint Lawrence River
The St. Lawrence River (french: Fleuve Saint-Laurent, ) is a large river in the middle latitudes of North America. Its headwaters begin flowing from Lake Ontario in a (roughly) northeasterly direction, into the Gulf of St. Lawrence, connectin ...
.
The protected perimeter of the area was delimited in two stages. The initial layout included the fortified area as well as its periphery. The second and final layout added other surrounding areas to the plan on May 7, 1964. The whole district covers a total area of 1.4 km.
On December 3, 1985,
UNESCO
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations (UN) aimed at promoting world peace and security through international cooperation in education, arts, sciences and culture. It ...
declared the Historic District of Old Quebec a
World Heritage Site
A World Heritage Site is a landmark or area with legal protection by an international convention administered by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). World Heritage Sites are designated by UNESCO for h ...
.
Transportation
Rail
Old Quebec is serviced by
Gare du Palais
Gare du Palais ("Palace Station") is a train and bus station in Quebec City, Quebec, Canada. Its name comes from its proximity to the Palace of the Intendant of New France. It is served by Via Rail, Canada's national passenger railway, and by t ...
train and bus station. Opened in 1915 by the
Canadian Pacific Railway
The Canadian Pacific Railway (french: Chemin de fer Canadien Pacifique) , also known simply as CPR or Canadian Pacific and formerly as CP Rail (1968–1996), is a Canadian Class I railway incorporated in 1881. The railway is owned by Canadi ...
, the
châteauesque
Châteauesque (or Francis I style,Whiffen, Marcus, ''American Architecture Since 1780: A guide to the styles'', The MIT Press, Cambridge, MA, 1969, p. 142. or in Canada, the Château Style) is a Revivalist architectural style based on the Fr ...
station is similar in design to the Château Frontenac.
Via Rail
Via Rail Canada Inc. (), operating as Via Rail or Via, is a Canadian Crown corporation that is mandated to operate intercity passenger rail service in Canada. It receives an annual subsidy from Transport Canada to offset the cost of operating ...
operates regular services to
Montreal
Montreal ( ; officially Montréal, ) is the List of the largest municipalities in Canada by population, second-most populous city in Canada and List of towns in Quebec, most populous city in the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian ...
via
Drummondville
Drummondville is a city in the Centre-du-Québec region of Quebec, located east of Montreal on the Saint-François River. The population as of the Canada 2021 Census was 79,258. The mayor of Drummondville is Stéphanie Lacoste.
Drummondville is ...
. The station is also serviced by the private coach company
Orléans Express
Orléans Express is a coach (vehicle), coach operator in Quebec, Canada. Destinations served include Ottawa (Ontario, ON), Gatineau, Montreal, Trois-Rivières, Quebec City, Rivière-du-Loup, Rimouski, and Gaspé, Quebec, Gaspé.
Maritime Bus, a s ...
.
Air
Old Quebec is 16 km east of Quebec's
Jean Lesage International Airport.
References
{{Authority control
Heritage sites in Quebec (Cultural Heritage Act)
World Heritage Sites in Canada
Quebec
Quebec ( ; )According to the Canadian government, ''Québec'' (with the acute accent) is the official name in Canadian French and ''Quebec'' (without the accent) is the province's official name in Canadian English is one of the thirtee ...
Canada geography articles needing translation from French Wikipedia
ar:كيبك القديمة