THE FORTIFICATIONS OF QUÉBEC
The principal military stronghold in Canada during the colonial period, Québec City was protected by an elaborate defence system developed between 1608 and 1871. In addition to the ramparts surrounding the old city, the fortifications included other structures and spaces such as guardhouses, gates, powder magazines, stores, soldiers' and officers' barracks, parade grounds, and esplanades. Today, the main surviving components of the system are the 4.6-kilometre-long ramparts, the Citadel, three Martello towers, and Fort No. 1 at Lévis. Significant parts of the fortifications were saved from demolition as the result of several initiatives, in particular those of Governor General Lord Dufferin, a pioneering figure in Canada's heritage conservation movement in the late 19th century. Québec, the only fortified city in North America to have preserved its ramparts and numerous other defensive works, was recognized in 1985 as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Approved 2005
Français
LES FORTIFICATIONS DE QUÉBEC
Principale place forte du Canada à l'époque coloniale, la ville de Québec était protégée par un système défensif élaboré, mis en place entre 1608 et 1871. Outre les remparts, les fortifications comptaient de nombreux ouvrages et espaces à vocation militaire, tels l es corps de garde, les portes, les poudrières, les entrepôts, les casernes pour soldats et officiers ainsi que les places d'armes et les esplanades. Aujourd'hui, les principales composantes de ce système de défense encore présentes sont les remparts ceinturant la vieille ville sur un périmètre de 4,6 kilomètres, la Citadelle, trois tours Martello et, à Lévis, le fort Numéro-Un. Une bonne partie des fortifications échappa à la démolition grâce à un ensemble d'initiatives, dont celle du gouverneur général lord Dufferin qui, à la fin du XIXe siècle, faisait figure de pionnier au sein du mouvement de conservation patrimoniale au Canada. Québec est la seule ville fortifiée en Amérique du Nord à avoir conservé ses remparts et un nombre appréciable d'ouvrages défensifs, ce qui a contribué à son inscription, en 1985, sur la Liste du patrimoine mondial de l'UNESCO.
Approuvé 2005
Slide toward Today to fade the historical sheet and see the modern map underneath.
Start with a tree file, a FamilySearch sign in, or a WikiTree ID.
Report a problem with this page
At the marker right now? You can send us the spot you're standing on.
We may pass what you report to the state's marker program. Please don't include personal details.
This plaque text is recorded in the Directory of Federal Heritage Designations, published by Parks Canada for the Historic Sites and Monuments Board of Canada. Plaque texts come from the Directory’s open dataset in the languages the Directory publishes them in; the pin on this page is ours, worked out from the Directory’s street address or local area and marked approximate. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Canada. TreeAlive is an independent project and is not affiliated with, sponsored by, or endorsed by Parks Canada or the Government of Canada. Open Government Licence – Canada