Quebec City - Québec (città)

Quebec (or Quebec City) is the capital of the province Canadian of Quebec.

To know

Quebec City is, among the cities Canadians, the one with the most charm. Its historic center occupies the top of a rocky hill, the Cap Diamant which dominates the course of the San Lorenzo river. On Cap Diamant there is also the Frontenac castle, a large hotel that since it was inaugurated (late 19th century) contributes to delineating the urban landscape with its spiers and its many pinnacles.

Québec City was founded in 1608 by Samuel de Champlain, a French explorer considered the father of New France. At the end of the 7 Years War it was ceded to the British along with all of New France. Despite the handover, the city has retained its French soul and to this day its inhabitants are 95% native French speakers.

Much money was spent on the beautification of the city in view of the celebrations for its 400th anniversary set on 3 July 2008. For the occasion, a pavilion was inaugurated on Quai Saint-André which since April 2009 has hosted an exhibition permanent exhibition dedicated to the French exploration of the New World (Canada discovery center).

In 1985 Quebec was included in the list of World Heritage Sites. Not only the city but also the surrounding region is considered a site UNESCO. Excursions in the surrounding area such as "Île d'Orléans" and Sainte-Anne-de-Beaupré are of great interest.

How to orient yourself

There old Quebec (Old Quebec or Vieux-Québec) is distributed in a low and a high part:

• Lower town (Lower Town in English. Basse-Ville in French) - The lower town gathers around the old river port. It was originally a warehouse area and remained so until relatively recently. Today many of the old buildings of the "Basse Ville" appear renovated and used as small hotels and boutiques. Since the restoration has not altered the original characteristics, it is very pleasant to stroll through the narrow cobbled streets of the lower town among the period bistros and the captivating shop windows. This is where the Place Royale is located, perhaps the most touristic place in Quebec. Also here is the majestic building that houses the Museum of Civilization whose visit is a must for anyone traveling to Quebec City. The best known of the districts of the lower city is that of Petit-Champlain gathered around the homonymous street transformed into a pedestrian area. The passage through the district is a must as there is the entrance to the funicular that leads to the upper town.
• High City ("Upper Town" in English. "Haute-Ville" in French) - The upper town extends on the flanks of Cap Diamant overlooking the San Lorenzo river. This is where the major tourist attractions of the city are located, such as the Place d'Armes, the Notre-Dame Basilica and the Frontenac castle. Higher still is the citadel, surrounded by mighty walls built by the French and reinforced several times during the subsequent British period.

Outside the walls surrounding the old city extends what is commonly referred to as "Downtown Quebec" in English and "La Cité" in French. The central area of ​​the city has at least two areas of tourist interest described below:

• Parliament Hill - The area around the National Assembly building can be reached from the lower city by crossing the San Luigi gate which opens onto the western section of the walls and then along the Grande Allée Est, the wide avenue that borders the vast park of the Francophonie and overlooked by luxury hotels, bars and restaurants that attract myriads of tourists and locals at any time of day or night. A little further north is the district of Saint Jean Baptiste crossed by the street of the same name devoted to trade. Among the many attractions in the area are the Museum of Fine Arts, Battlefields Park and "Plains of Abraham" the site of the historic battle that marked the end of the successful French adventure in this part of the New World and the concomitant beginning of the undisputed British dominance. . Parliament Hill is also the area where summer parades and festivals take place. In winter, however, the Saint Jean Baptiste district is the scene of the lively Quebec carnival.
• Saint Roch - Further north of the district of Saint Jean Baptiste, is that of Saint Roch which, after the completion of the restoration works of its buildings carried out by the owners who have benefited from public funding and its transformation into a pedestrian area, has begun to attract crowds of tourists, especially young people. Its busiest street is that of St-Joseph where trendy bars and shops have sprung up, some of the big names in fashion such as Hugo Boss.

How to get

How to get around

What see

Lower town

• Notre Dame des Victoires, Place Royale. Small church built between 1687 and 1723 to commemorate the victory of the French over the British army which, under the command of William Phips, governor of Massachusetts, had tried to conquer the city in 1690. The original church was destroyed during the bombing that accompanied the British siege of 1759. The reconstruction was started in 1762 on the initiative of a master carpenter named Jean Baillargé who worked there for four years. A more accurate restoration began in 1816. In 1929 the church was declared a historical monument. 
• Museum of Civilization, 85, rue Dalhousie, ☎ 1 418 643 2158. A huge museum without a precise orientation like its temporary exhibitions which until now have covered the most disparate sectors such as science, cinema, fiction. Among the permanent exhibitions, the most interesting for the passing tourist are perhaps those centered on the history of Quebec and on the people who lived there in pre-Columbian times. 

High City

• Frontenac Castle (Château Frontenac), ☎ 1 418 691 2166. Inaugurated in 1893, Frontenac Castle is the symbol of the city of Quebec. It was built on a project by the American architect Bruce Price on behalf of the Canadien Pacifique railway company which intended to promote tourism. It is named after the 1st governor of New France, Louis de Buade, Count of Frontenac. The palace follows the style of the castles of the Loire. It is a huge building to which the tall and mammoth central tower was added in 1926. In 1943, the Quebec conference took place in which Winston Churchill and Franklin D. Roosevelt participated with the intent of planning military strategies during World War II. Guided tours last just under an hour but must be booked. 

La Citè

• Parliament building (Hôtel du Parlement), Place d'Armes, Haute-Ville (Entrance from Honoré-Mercier Avenue, Grande-Allée Est corner), ☎ 1 418 643 7239. Free entry. Summer opening hours 09: 00-16: 30. Housed in a grand II Empire style building, the Parliament building was completed in 1886. Twenty-two statues of eminent political figures adorn its facade. The guides accompanying visitors also speak in Italian 
• Fine Arts Museum (Musée national des beaux-arts du Québec). The collections of the best-known of Quebec's museums are located in two buildings linked together by a glass-vaulted passage which has been given the pompous name of "Grand Hall". The permanent exhibitions are housed in the building known as the "Gérard Morisset Pavilion" and consist of works by Quebec artists to which in 2005 works by indigenous Inuit were added. The second building known as Charles-Baillairgé Pavilion was a former prison known as "Petite Bastille and since the restoration has respected its original function it is rather distressing" 

Events and parties

What to do

Shopping

How to have fun

Where to eat

Where stay

Safety

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Other projects

• Wikipedia contains an entry concerning Quebec City
• Commons contains images or other files on Quebec City

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