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Dominated by the majestic outline of the Parliament Building and graced by a splendid fountain in its forecourt, Parliament Hill exudes style and elegance.
Fontaine de Tourny stands directly in front of the Parliament Building, where it inevitably draws the gaze of passersby with its 43 water jets and sculpted figures. The 7 meter high fountain is especially stunning when lit up at night.
Fontaine de Tourny was originally installed in Bordeaux, France, in 1857, only to be removed in 1960. Department store magnate Peter Simons stumbled across it at the Saint-Ouen flea market in Paris. At the time he was looking for a unique gift to make to the City of Québec for its 400th anniversary. He had the fountain shipped to Québec City in 2003, where it was restored before being presented to the city. Today it has become a must-see attraction.
The very first national historic site in Québec and seat of the National Assembly, the Parliament Building is an impressive structure whose four wings form a square measuring about 100 metres by 100 metres. Built between 1877 and 1886, its architecture, virtually unique in North America, is inspired by the Louvre Palace, making it one of the only French-style institutional buildings in Québec City.
The Parliament Building and its grounds pay eloquent tribute to the men and women who marked the history of Québec. The building’s main façade boasts 26 bronze statues erected to the memory of key historical figures: founders, explorers, soldiers, missionaries, politicians, and colonial administrators.
Not far from Parliament Hill stands porte Saint-Louis, a towering stone gate providing access to the walled town. Built in 1694, it was demolished and rebuilt on two separate occasions. Porte Saint-Louis leads on one side to Grande Allée, one of the city’s most prestigious thoroughfares, and on the other to Rue Saint-Louis and Château Frontenac.
Québec City is sometimes called North America's Paris, but that does a disservice to the city's particular mix of French-Anglo culture, which is in a class of its own. – Condé Nast Traveler, February 2015
In addition to the statues on the main facade of the Parliament Building, numerous other monuments dot the gardens and grounds on Parliament Hill.
The Inukshuk, which evokes the form of a human, was built in 2002 with stones from Nunavik and underscores the ties between Quebecers and the Inuit nation.
This monument honours four women’s voting rights activists: Idola Saint-Jean, Marie-Lacoste Gérin-Lajoie, Thérèse Forget-Casgrain, and Marie-Claire Kirkland. These pioneers fought to secure women’s right to vote and take part in politics.
Robert Bourassa was the premier of Québec from 1970 to 1976, and from 1985 to 1994. During his time in office, he introduced universal health insurance and made French the official language of the province.
The fountain with two sculptures at the entrance to the Parliament Building is dedicated to the First Nations. The bottom sculpture, Fisherman with Spear, represents a fisher about to harpoon a fish in the pool at his feet. Above it is another monument entitled A Halt in the Forest, representing a First Nations Family
Jean Lesage, premier of Québec from 1960 to 1966, is often considered as the father of the Quiet Revolution.
Maurice Duplessis, who served as premier of Québec from 1936 to 1939, and from 1944 to 1959, left a controversial legacy. Indeed, it took 17 years for the statue commissioned in his honour to be installed. When it was delivered, the government in power refused to put up a monument to its old adversary, who was associated with a period known in Québec as the “Great Darkness.”
On the left facade of the Parliament Building, statues of Robert Baldwin, Lord Guy Carleton Dorchester, Pierre Boucher, and Jean Talon pay tribute to these key figures from Québec history.
As founder of the Parti Québécois and premier of Québec from 1976 to 1985, René Lévesque spearheaded efforts to make Québec a sovereign nation. Québec’s French Language Charter was adopted under his government.
An ardent defender of Québec’s autonomy within Canada, Honoré Mercier was premier of Québec from 1887 to 1891. This monument depicts him in one of his typical speaking poses.
When summer rolls around, Grande Allée restaurants and bars open up their outdoor patios, and the city’s legendary street becomes the place to be for Happy Hour or a night on the town.
