Wednesday, June 16, 2010

Tourists in Quebec: Vieux-Québec

For someone like me with a fascination for historical architecture, walking the streets of Old Quebec was an absolute joy. Here are some of my favorite buildings, though not always because I think they are beautiful.

Hôtel du Parlement. Standing just outside the walls of Old Quebec, half of the Parliament Building had scaffolding at the time of our visit. It has a lovely fountain with a gorgeous sculpture in the middle of its grand, horseshoe-shaped stairs.

Hôtel du Parlement, Quebec City

Château Frontenac. This huge, sprawling old hotel is the iconic landmark of the old city.

Château Frontenac, Quebec City


Hôtel de Ville de Québec. Quebec City Hall was built on the site of an older Jesuit college.

Hôtel de Ville de Québec, Quebec City


Édifice Price. Narrow, but at 18 floors, it is the tallest building in the old walled city.

Édifice Price, Quebec City


Édifice Gérard D. Lévesque. Formerly the Quebec City Courthouse.

Édifice Gérard D. Lévesque, Quebec City


Old Post Office. With a statue of Monseigneur François-Xavier de Montmorency-Laval, the first Roman Catholic bishop of New France.

Old Post Office, Quebec City


Séminaire de Québec. The oldest part of the seminary, with a large courtyard in the middle.

Séminaire de Québec, Quebec City


Notre-Dame de Québec. The basilica-cathedral of the oldest Roman Catholic parish in North America.

Notre-Dame de Québec, Quebec City


Chapelle des Ursulines. The convent of the Ursulines in Quebec City is the oldest institution of learning for women in North America.

Chapelle des Ursulines, Quebec City


Eglise Saint-Roch. Not located inside the walled city of Vieux Québec at all, my husband and I accidentally came upon the church while we were walking around the vicinity of our hotel soon after we arrived. The Church of Saint Roch is the largest church in Quebec City.

Eglise Saint-Roch, Quebec City