Quebec City: The Gibraltar of North America
Quebec City: The History
Quebec City was founded in 1608 by Samuel de Champlain and is the second oldest European settlement in the continent. It is also known as the cradle of French civilization in North America. Quebec City has been home to several battles between the French and the British when the colony was first founded. The most notable battle was the Battle of the Plains of Abraham, which evidently, was a deciding moment over the New France colony, and later influenced the creation of Canada.
During the time that Quebec City was under considerable pressure from the American revolutionaries, the Citadelle of Quebec was constructed along with a series of Martello towers to protect the colony during the War of 1812. Although the city was not attacked during this time, it continued to host a large British garrison until 1871, well after the Canadian Confederation.
To this day, the Citadelle of Quebec has been preserved and is open to the public.
The Culture
Today, Quebec City has grown to include a vast array of cultures, as well as preserving the french culture of the original settlers. Numerous restaurants and museums can be found within the city limits in buildings dating back to the 1600's. Old Quebec still has some resemblance to a city in its founding state, with the dated buildings and cobble stone streets. The upper part, referred to as Upper Town, remains the only city in North America that is walled with ramparts. The lower part of the city, referred to as Lower Town, contains the historic church Notre-Dame des Victoires, which dates back to 1608. Lower Town also has fantastic shopping with boutiques and trendy shops lining the narrow streets.
Stay for a few days after the conference and discover why Quebec City is so unique!