The Citadelle of Quebec

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The Citadelle

In order to get a real sense of the military and political history of Quebec, the best place to start any tour of the city is the famous Citadelle of Quebec, also proudly referred to as the Gibraltar of America. The Citadelle remains as a part of the military fortifications of Quebec that were first developed during the 1800s. However, one could make the argument that the Citadelle is part of history of fortifications in Quebec that date back to the habitation that was constructed as the first building in Quebec as a protection from the perceived hostility of the local Iroquoians during the 1600s. Along with the other fortifications of Quebec, the Citadelle is one of the remaining structures that make Quebec the only fortified city still in existence in North America today.

Some of the fortifications of the Citadelle date back farther than the rest of the structure, including one of the major protective walls. These early fortifications were part of a larger fortification strategy put in place to protect the city after the fortress of Louisberg in modern Nova Scotia was taken by the British in 1745. The Citadelle itself was initially constructed between the years of 1820 and 1850 under the direction of British rule. The Citadelle is constructed based on the design of the basic star-shaped fortifications that was favored by the British, except that the plans were altered into the shape of a four-starred polygon to incorporate existing structures and provide better protection.

There are three main buildings comprising the Citadelle. The first of these is Building 10, a former military prison that is also referred to as L'ancienne Prison militaire. The second is Building 15, a former armory that is also known as the Powder Magazine. The last major structure is Building 15, which is the Museum Office. There are several museums incorporated into the Citadel, most notably the Royal 22nd Regiment Museum, which has a variety of installations devoted to educating the public on military history. The Royal 22nd Regiment still performs the Changing of the Guard and other ceremonies at the Citadelle during Quebec's warmer months.

During the 20th Century, the Citadelle has been used for a variety of important official purposes. For example, Prime Minister William Lyon MacKenzie King met with Winston Churchill and Franklin Roosevelt at the Citadelle to discuss strategies for World War II in 1943 and 1944. Today, the Citadelle is regarded as an important political, architectural and historical token of Quebec's long military history. The Citadelle is recognized an official historical cite by both Canada and the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).

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