Place d'Armes
مدينة كيبك
Place d'Armes is the square in front of the Château Frontenac, in the heart of the upper town. The Terrasse Dufferin, above the river, and Rue du Trésor both start here.
A hotel for train travellers
The Château Frontenac was the idea of William Van Horne, head of the Canadian Pacific railway company. He wanted travellers to go by train and sleep in a luxury hotel. Bruce Price designed it, and it opened in 1893.
A castle that grows
Between 1899 and 1924 three new wings and the great central tower were added. The style recalls the castles of medieval France. It was the first of many castle-shaped hotels built along Canada's railways.
The Terrasse Dufferin
It is a long boardwalk high above the Saint Lawrence. The first terrace opened in 1838. The funicular down to the lower town also starts here, and it costs money.
What to see from outside
Rue du Trésor is a small cobbled lane between the Château and the basilica. Since the 1960s it has been full of pictures, prints and watercolours. Look at the towers of the Château. Then look down while staying behind the railing: below you are the river, the ships and the port.
