Quebec City contains four centuries of architecture, and in many spots the old and the new exist side by side.
The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Quebec is the oldest see in the New World north of Mexico, and its churches are among the oldest buildings in Quebec City.
Originally built in 1633 and destroyed twice by fire, Notre-Dame de Quebec Cathedral is the parish church of the oldest parish in North America and as magnificently gilded inside as it is stately and impressive outside.
Quebec City's Parliament building is another must-see on any architectural tour of the city. Built between 1877 and 1884 in the late Renaissance style, its exterior honors critical figures in Quebec history with statues of heroes including Samuel de Champlain, Jacques Cartier, Count Louis de Buade Frontenac, and the Marquis de Montcalm.
Other secular architecture, including homes built in the 17th and 18th centuries in the style of New France, also survive.
Quebec City in Bloom
Like many northern cities where summer is short but glorious, gardeners make the most of the sunniest seasons. In Quebec City parks and along strips of green, flowers are abundant in in spring and summer.
One of the most interesting uses of blooms here is in mosaic carpet bedding, which uses flowers to spell out words or create pleasing shapes (picture the word "bonjour!" spelled out in flowers, and you'll get the idea).
From April to October, the loveliest greensward in Quebec City is Joan of Arc Garden in Battlefields Park, which is a historic site also known as the Plains of Abraham.
