Quebec City is the capital of the eponymous province of Canada. These lands were once called New France, and to this day they are the French-speaking part of the country. Those who wish to move here for permanent residence should learn not only English, but also French.
New france
This name was inherent in the territory of North America, which was in the possession of France from 1534 to 1763. Although in 1534 Cartier declared Canada the property of the French crown, the real colonization began in 1604, and in 1605 the first city of Port Royal was founded by Samuel de Champlain.
In 1608, he founded the city of Quebec, which became the main center of New France in Canada. The history of this area began with the fact that King Henry 4 gave the rights to trade of fur in Canada to merchants from Rouen.
It was they who appointed Samuel de Champlain as their representative for negotiating and cooperating with the local Indian tribes. When the city of Quebec began to be built, the fur trade began to be conducted in it.
In 1642, Montreal was founded - a port city, which today is the largest in the Canadian province of Quebec. This is Canada's largest province, occupying almost 17% of its territory. If you compare it with European countries, then it occupies an area equal to three France.
Quebec province
Located between the Atlantic Ocean and the province of Ontario, Quebec lands occupy an area of 1,542,000 km 2 . This is the second most populous Canadian province. The largest city is Montreal, the capital is Quebec, with more than 700,000 inhabitants.
The official language of this area is French, which is considered native to 80% of the population in this area. Her constitutional rights include:
- independently pass laws regarding the property and criminal rights of their citizens;
- independently administer justice;
- build your own education and health systems.
With such constitutional freedoms, the separatists present here demand its separation from Canada. In referenda held on this issue, the city of Quebec with the entire territory remains in the federation by a majority of votes. The main industries developed in this area are aerospace, pharmaceuticals, biotechnology, metallurgy and information technology.
Quebec
Quebec is a city in Canada, which is the economic and administrative center of the province of the same name. The old part of the city is where it was laid - on a large cliff overhanging the St. Lawrence River.
Jean Cartier, who declared these lands the property of the French crown, gave the cliff the name "diamond" due to interspersed in the rock of many crystals. Once here, for over 60 years, the fur trade flourished here. Although many farmers stopped cultivating the land and turned into “forest tramps,” as fur hunters were called then, furniture, shipbuilding, weaving, and other crafts flourished in Quebec.
Due to the confrontation of the local Indians, who often attacked the city of Quebec, its population grew very slowly. It was only towards the end of the 17th century that it began to expand and strengthen, which had a positive effect on the increase in the number of emigrants from France who traveled to Canada in search of a better life.
Today, Quebec is a center for the development of high technologies, tourism and the administrative center of the country's largest province.
The central part of the city
From the point of view of travelers, although beautiful, modern Quebec (the city) is not remarkable. Interesting places are in its old areas.
The central part of the city became the property of UNESCO, since it was here that granite buildings of the 17-18 centuries were preserved. The famous Frontenac Castle is also located here, from whose windows you can see the picturesque banks of the St. Lawrence River.
The old part of the city is divided into 2 districts surrounded by a city wall. Bass-Ville is located at the foot of Cap Diaman Mountain and is an old French-style streets filled with boutiques and cafes. Once it was a district of merchants and merchants.
Haut-Ville with its cobblestone pavements and architecture resemble old European cities. Here, horse-drawn carriages, street cafes, an ancient monastery and museums await tourists. Haut-Ville Center occupies a five-pointed fortress, the largest in North America.
Notre Dame Cathedral, built in 1647, is no less interesting, and you can stay for the night in the beautiful Chateau Frontenac hotel, located in the castle, which is a copy of the original in the Laura Valley.
From one area to another you can reach by funicular.
Upper quebec
The decoration of the upper city is the old castle Chateau Frontenac, which has retained its former beauty and grandeur to this day. Built in the style of the Gothic Renaissance. Its towers and walls are visible from anywhere in the city.
The castle is similar to the palace of a fairy-tale princess, and its conversion into an extravagant hotel made this place very popular with tourists. The interiors and tapestries are well preserved from the 19th century.
Directly behind the hotel is the Duferin terrace, near which there is a monument to the man who founded Quebec. The city (photos confirm this) remembers and honors the memory of Samuel de Champlain, the first unofficial governor of the province. Quebec residents love to watch the picturesque banks of the river from the terrace. No less beautiful in the nearby Governor's Park.
Military squares, executions, and public punishments were previously held on Army Square. Today, there is a fleet museum and the Vera monument dedicated to the activities of Catholic missionaries in Canada. In the northern part of the square, paintings and crafts are exhibited by local artists and artisans. Nearby cafes and buildings of the 18th century resemble Paris of that time.
No less interesting to visit the Anglican Church of the Holy Trinity and the Ursulinok Monastery.
Lower city
If you go down from the terrace Duferin down the "dizzying stairs", then you can get into lower Quebec. Once upon a time there was the first settlement founded by de Champlain. It consisted of several wooden houses and a warehouse where fur was stored.
In the lower town is Montmorency Park and Royal Square, on which in 1686 a bust of Louis 14 was put up, replaced in our time with a copy of it.
One of the most famous sights of this place is the old Notre Dame church, built in 1688 in honor of the victories of the French army over the British.
In the museum of antique furniture and utensils you can get acquainted with the life of the inhabitants of the city of the 17-19 centuries. The Museum of Civilization is dedicated to the activities and development of society since the founding of the French colony in Canada.
Citadel
Built by the French in 1750, a star-shaped fortress was supposed to protect the then-few inhabitants of Quebec from the British. As the city grew, there was a need to expand the citadel, which was already produced in 1820 by the British, who sought to protect the population from the attack of the Americans.
Today it houses the most elite military unit in Canada - the 22nd Royal Regiment. The former powder warehouse houses the museum of the famous regiment. Attractions near the Citadel include the French Renaissance Parliament Building and the Quebec Grand Theater.
Climate in Quebec
Unique is not only the history of this region or Quebec itself (the city). The climate here is no less famous than architectural monuments.
It is characterized by sharp temperature changes, a long winter lasting from September to April, and short hot summers. It is the inhabitants of this province who know the concept of “icy” rain, during which drops falling to the ground turn into “spiky” and sharp ice or small hail.
Temperature drops from -30 to +8 degrees are also frequent in winter for several days. No less famous are the Quebec winds that blow here at any time of the year. If in summer they soften the sweltering heat, then in winter it is difficult to resist.
That is why the city authorities allocated funds for the construction of an underground city connected by tunnels to the metro. Now, to get from the office to a restaurant or shops, you do not need to go through the windy Quebec. The city, whose hotels hospitably await travelers all year round, is accessible to tourists underground.
Quebec today
Sometimes it’s hard for tourists to understand which city of Quebec is a city? In English-speaking Canada, there is a huge French-speaking territory that has preserved its culture and identity since the development of the province by colonists from France.
Today, Montreal and Quebec - the two largest cities in this territory - are the concentration of cultural and economic values of these places. On these lands there are mountains, forests, islands and 130,000 bodies of water. This region rich in natural resources was preserved not only for the descendants of the colonists, but also for the indigenous population of Canada. In the 50 villages located on the territory of the province, 11 Indian tribes live. Each of the villages is a tourist center where you can stop and “plunge” into the life of the indigenous people.
The ornithological reserves of Quebec are no less famous, where you can watch the life of 270 species of birds.