History of the fortifications of Quebec (16th-19th centuries)

A quick word about our (French) speaker on June 13th, Mr. Éric Dussault.

Historical Conference-History of the fortifications of Quebec (16th-19th centuries) He is a historian, researcher, lecturer, author and editor. He works for the show “Kébec” (Télé-Québec) and he has long collaborated on the radio show “Aujourd’hui l’histoire” (Radio-Canada). Doctor in cultural and European history, he teaches at the Université du 3e âge de Sherbrooke. He is also an associate editor at Le Septentrion.He will come to talk to us about the historic district of Old Quebec. Urban territory of approximately 135 hectares located in the upper and lower town of Quebec. On the promontory of Cape Diamant, Quebec is protected by bastioned ramparts, a citadel and other defensive works, because it was the capital of New France (from 1608 to 1759), before becoming that of the British colony located in the northern United States (from 1763 to 1867).

If in 1985 Quebec became a jewel of the UNESCO World Heritage, it is because its “urban ensemble” has been “well preserved”, but above all because ” the historic district of Old Quebec is an exceptional example of a fortified colonial city, by far the most complete in northern Mexico” (according to UNESCO). This conference tells the story of how Quebec became a fortified city by describing the various stages that led to the construction of fortifications and other defensive works that today attract more than six million visitors per year.