The Ecole des Ursulines, known in English as the School of the Ursulines, is among North America's oldest schools. Still operating as a private school for both girls and boys, it was founded in 1639 by French nun
Marie of the Incarnation and laywoman
Marie-Madeline de Chauvigny de la Peltrie
Marie-Madeleine de Chauvigny de la Peltrie (1603 – 18 November 1671) was a French woman who started the Order of Ursulines of Quebec.
Chauvigny, Marie-Madeleine de (Gruel de La Peltrie), secular founder of the Ursulines of Quebec, born in ...
. This was also the beginning of the
Ursuline order in New France.
The
convent
A convent is an enclosed community of monks, nuns, friars or religious sisters. Alternatively, ''convent'' means the building used by the community.
The term is particularly used in the Catholic Church, Lutheran churches, and the Anglican ...
has many of its original walls intact and houses a little chapel and a museum. Located in the middle of the historical
Old Quebec
Old Quebec (, ) is a historic neighbourhood of Quebec City, Quebec, Canada. Comprising the Upper Town () and Lower Town (), the area is a World Heritage Site, UNESCO World Heritage Site. Administratively, Old Quebec is part of the Vieux-Québecâ ...
neighbourhood of
Quebec City
Quebec City 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 Census Metropolitan Area (including surrounding communities) had a populati ...
,
Quebec
Quebec is Canada's List of Canadian provinces and territories by area, largest province by area. Located in Central Canada, the province shares borders with the provinces of Ontario to the west, Newfoundland and Labrador to the northeast, ...
, which is recognized by
UNESCO
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO ) is a List of specialized agencies of the United Nations, specialized agency of the United Nations (UN) with the aim of promoting world peace and International secur ...
as a World Heritage District. The school has two campuses. In the Quebec City campus, there are more than four hundred children enrolled from pre-school through primary school (5 to 12 years). There is also a coeducational campus in
Loretteville
Loretteville () is a List of former municipalities in Quebec, former city in central Quebec, Canada. It was amalgamated into Quebec City on January 1, 2002. It is located within the borough of La Haute-Saint-Charles, and also contains the upmark ...
.
See also
*
Ursulines of Quebec
The Ursuline Monastery of Quebec City () was founded by a missionary group of Ursuline nuns in 1639 under the leadership of Mother Marie of the Incarnation, O.S.U. It is the oldest institution of learning for women in North America. Today, the ...
*
Ursulines
The Ursulines, also known as the Order of Saint Ursula (post-nominals: OSU), is an enclosed religious order of women that in 1572 branched off from the Angelines, also known as the Company of Saint Ursula. The Ursulines trace their origins to th ...
*
Old Quebec
Old Quebec (, ) is a historic neighbourhood of Quebec City, Quebec, Canada. Comprising the Upper Town () and Lower Town (), the area is a World Heritage Site, UNESCO World Heritage Site. Administratively, Old Quebec is part of the Vieux-Québecâ ...
References
External links
Ecole des Ursulines official website
Elementary schools in Quebec
Schools in Quebec City
History of Quebec City
Old Quebec
History of Catholicism in Quebec
1639 establishments in the French colonial empire
Roman Catholic schools in Quebec
Ursuline schools
New France
Educational institutions established in the 1630s
Catholic elementary schools in Canada
French colonial architecture in Canada
{{Quebec-school-stub