Chapter 1 Unit A

Vieux Quebec

Quebec City
Vieux-Quebec is a historic part of the city recognized by UNESCO since 1985 for its exceptional cultural heritage. When Samuel de Champlain founded Quebec City in 1608, he built his first home at the foot of Cap Diamant, on the current site of Place Royale. At this time, Amerindians visited the area regularly to trade furs. Cap Diamant is a cliff that stands 100 m high and overlook the StLawrence River at the point where it narrows to a span of only one kilometre. In 1744, Quebec City was the administrative centre of New France. Fort Saint-Louis, at the top of Cap Diamant, was the citys most important building and was used to defend the St-Lawrence River.

Quebec, World Heritage City

Vieux-Quebec dates back before 1850 and some buildings date back to the days of New France. Quebec City is known as the cradle of French Civilization in America What makes Quebec City unique is that it is the only city that has preserved its ramparts, which were built in the 18th century.

There has been many changes to Quebec Citys urban landscape since the 18th century. It was only in the 19th century that the Louise basin and the piers were developed. Because of it unique topography, Vieux-Quebec has always been divided into Upper and Lower Town.
Streets, staircases and a funicular have been added over the years in order to link the two areas.

A Diverse Cultural Heritage

There are approximately 800 archaeological sites in Quebec City. Archeologists who study these underground remains can piece together the citys evolution and better understand its significance in the history of New France. Examining the architecture of the roughly 1400 buildings in Vieux-Quebec allows us to retrace history and the way of life of its people. The ramparts and the Citadelle have heritage value because they are reminders of Quebec Citys military history. The ramparts that we see today were built around 1745 to defend the city and to strengthen the fortifications that had existed since the late 17th century. The Citadelle was built on Cap Diamont between 1820 and 1850 by the British army to reinforce the citys defense system. Religion has played an important role in the Quebec Citys history. At one time, religious orders oversaw education, religious practice, hospitals, etc

A Diverse Cultural Heritage Cont

Historical buildings, such as the Ursuline Monastary, are reminders of these elements of our past. In the old days of New France, Place dArmes served as a military training ground for soldiers. In 1865, the space was turned into a public park and in 1916 a monument was erected to commemorate the 300 years since the arrival of the Recollets in Quebec City.

Cultural heritage also includes the urban landscape. The narrow streets and closely spaced houses reflect the urban development in an era when people travelled on foot, in carts or in horse-drawn carriages. Also, in the event of an attack, a city with a compact layout was easier to defend than a sprawling city. The architecture of the Chateau Frontenac is similar to that of a castle, but the building has never served this purpose. The Chateau is a luxury hotel built in 1893 by a railway company.

Chateau Frontenac

Living in a Historic District

With its stone buildings and Notre-Dame-des-Victoires church, which was completed in 1723, Place Royale recalls the era of New France. However, most of the buildings date from the 1970s!! In 1967, the Quebec government implemented a large-scale restoration program that gave Place Royale the same appearance that it had during the French Regime. The government restored some of the buildings and demolished others that were built in the 19th century and built many new ones in the French regime architectural style. After the British troops left Quebec City in 1871, the fortifications that protected the city had lost their purpose. Lord Dufferin, the Governor General at the time convinced the authorities not to destroy the fortifications. His actions was one of the first examples of conservation of a historic district in Canada. In Vieux-Quebec, all new construction must integrate harmoniously with the historic buildings in this environment.

Chapter 1 Unit B

Two Issues to the Protection of a Heritage City

Quebec is a heritage city, namely because it is the only fortified town still in existence north of Mexico. Heritage sites are abundant in Vieux-Quebec, and enhancing its cultural heritage depends on conservation and restoration. Historic cities are usually populated: people live, work and study in these places, which are also visited by many tourists. Although they are historic sites, these cities must accommodate their citizens needs. While certain construction or development projects meet with unanimous approval, others give rise to considerable controversy.

Residents must coexist with crowds of tourists that visit historic cities, which is not always easy since these two groups often have incompatible needs.

Preserving Cultural Heritage in a Modern City

Vieux-Quebec is part of Quebec City, however, because of its status as a heritage site, the federal and provincial governments, together with Quebec City, participate in its management and share related expenses. The Government of Canada administers cultural heritage matters on its properties. The Government of Quebec is responsible for protecting the historic district under the Cultural Property Act. As for Quebec City, it is in charge of regional development, zoning matters, traffic, maintaining public spaces and economic development. Before changing the exterior appearance of their properties, owners must obtain approval from Quebec City. The Cultural Property Act places further restrictions on owners of houses that are classified as historic monuments. These owners must retain both exterior and interiors features but can have modern furniture.

Development Projects
In 1871, plans were made to demolish the Citys fortifications because they interfered with traffic and the citys development. In order to save the structures, Lord Dufferin recommended that the gates of the fortifications be widened to facilitate access to within the walled city. Between 1998 and 2000, a proposal project for building a cruise ship terminal sparked much controversy, even through this section of the Vieux-Port is not part of Vieux-Quebecs historic district. In 2001, an international cultural heritage expert settled the matter by confirming that the projects did not spoil the heritage character of Vieux-Quebec. The cruise ship terminal has been in operation since 2002.

Living with Specific Features of a Heritage Site

A place to Live, Study and Work Vieux-Quebec is home to over 4900 residents. Over 20 000 additional workers and students commute to View Quebec every day. 80% of the traffic here is created by people who live outside this historic district. A Bustling Obstacles to Commercial Sector getting Sround Rue St-Jean is famous for its many boutiques, cafes and restaurants. It appeals to the citizens of VieuxQuebec and other neighborhoods of the city, and to tourists as well. Vieux-Quebecs topography and its winter snowstorms create traffic flow problems, making it very difficult for city and tour buses to pass through its narrow, winding streets, some of which are inaccessible. Regions Tourism Economy Every year, over 4 million tourists visit Vieux-Quebec, or the equivalent of over 800 tourists for every resident. In the summer, 300 tour buses travel trough VieuxQuebec daily. During Septembers cruise ship season, this number jumps to 700!!

Traffic Issues at Heritage Sites

Solution to Transportation Problems

Over the last 15 years, Quebec City has transformed certain stretches of roads into pedestrian zones. In other areas it has narrowed the pavement used by vehicles and widened sidewalks and areas for pedestrians. It could happen that the entire within the walls of Vieux-Quebec would become a vehicle-free zone taking the example from Copenhagens historic centres. What do you think?