Citadelle of Quebec

Citadelle of Quebec
Citadelle of Quebec
La Citadelle de Québec (French)
General information
Location	Quebec City, Quebec, Canada
Coordinates	46.8074°N 71.2071°W
Construction started	1820 to 1850
Cost	200 000 sterling pounds, 60 000 estimated in 1816
Client	The Crown of France (1693, 1701, 1745, 1750); The Crown of Great Britain and Ireland (1820, 1831, 1842); The Crown in Right of Canada (1872)
Owner	The King in Right of Canada; (Charles III)
Design and construction
Architect(s)	Various
Engineer	9
National Historic Site of Canada
Official name	Québec Citadel National Historic Site of Canada
Designated	15 May 1946

The Citadelle of Quebec (French: Citadelle de Québec), also known as La Citadelle, is an active military installation and the secondary official residence of both the governor general of Canada and the Canadian monarch. It is located atop Cap Diamant, adjoining the Plains of Abraham in Quebec City, Quebec. The citadel forms part of the fortifications of Quebec City, which is one of only two cities in North America still surrounded by fortifications, the other being Campeche, Mexico.

The strategic importance of Cap Diamant was recognized by the French as early as 1608. Several defensive fortifications were built on the site first by the French and then by the British after their conquest of New France. The modern citadel was built from 1820 to 1850, in an effort to secure Quebec City against a potential American attack. The British used the citadel until 1871, when they formally handed the property over to the Canadian government. Following the handover, the citadel was used as a military installation by the Canadian Armed Forces and as a royal and vice-regal residence.

The Citadelle is a National Historic Site of Canada and forms part of the Fortifications of Québec National Historic Site of Canada. The fortress is located within the Historic District of Old Québec, which was designated a World Heritage Site in 1985. The site receives some 200,000 visitors annually.

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