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Upper Town (Haute-Ville) of the UNESCO World Heritage city of Québec contains some of the city’s most impressive buildings, monuments, and churches.
Louis S. St-Laurent Building
After climbing the stairs from Lower Town (Basse-Ville), I looked up and saw the Louis S. St-Laurent Building (Édifice Louis-S.-St-Laurent), a Canada Post building completed in 1873.
In front is a monument to François de Laval, the first Bishop of New France. He was canonized as a saint in the Catholic Church in 2014 and is entombed at Notre-Dame de Québec.
Château Frontenac
From there, I walked up to the very imposing Château Frontenac. This hotel built was in 1893 by architect Bruce Price as one of a series of hotels for Canadian Pacific Railway. Sitting in front of the hotel is a garden honoring the city’s UNESCO designation and a monument to Samuel de Champlain, the founder of Québec in 1608.
Terrasse Dufferin
Along the front of the hotel is Terrasse Dufferin, a wooden walkway that offers sweeping views of the St. Lawrence River landscape. It was built in 1879 by Lord Dufferin and features several cannons that were captured by the British from the Russians during the Crimean War. There are plenty of benches to sit, relax, and take in the scenery. You can also take the funicular to Lower Town from Terrasse Dufferin.
Place d’Armes
Place d’Armes, a park in front of Château Frontenac, features the Foi Monument (Monument de la Foi), erected in 1916. It commemorates the 300th anniversary of the arrival of the Récollets, the first successful missionaries to arrive in New France. Across the street to the east is the Fort Museum (Musée du fort), showcasing the military history of Québec.
The southwest corner of Place d’Armes is the location of the Gérard D. Lévesque Building (Édifice Gérard-D.-Lévesque), built in 1887. It was originally the Palace of Justice but now houses the Ministry of Finance.
Saint-Louis Street
The road leading west from Place d’Armes is the colorful Saint-Louis Street (Rue Saint-Louis), which takes you past several cafes and shops. It also leads outside of Old Québec (Vieux-Québec) to the Citadelle of Québec and Parliament Building (Hôtel du Parlement).
Trésor Street
After lunch, I walked down Sainte-Anne Street (Rue Sainte-Anne) and then down Trésor Street (Rue du Trésor). This street, like many others, is full of cafés and shops, but what sets it apart are all of the artists selling their creations on the street. It was probably the street with the most life in Old Québec.
City Hall Plaza
At the other end of Trésor Street I found City Hall Plaza (Place de l’Hôtel de Ville), which is the location of the Québec City Hall (Hôtel de ville de Québec), built in 1896. On the other end is Notre-Dame de Québec, the city’s most important Catholic church.
Ramparts Street
Finally, I took a stroll down Ramparts Street (Rue des Remparts), which follows the old city walls. It’s decorated with cannons and passes by several historic buildings, including the Petit Séminaire.
