Notre-Dame-des-Victoires (Our Lady of Victories Church), Quebec City
While exploring Quebec City's Lower Town (Basse-Ville), you'll discover the charming Catholic basilica, Our Lady of Victories (Notre-Dame-des-Victoires), on Royal Square (Place Royale). This basilica boasts Neoclassical design and a distinctive spire-topped steeple. It holds the distinction of being the oldest stone church in Canada and one of the oldest in North America. The church, constructed between 1687 and 1723, stands on the site of Samuel de Champlain's former residence, the city's founder.
Originally dedicated to the baby Jesus (l'Enfant J茅sus), the church was renamed Our Lady of Victory after the Battle of Quebec in 1690. In 1711, it changed its name to "of Victories" following the sinking of British Admiral Hovenden Walker's fleet due to bad weather. Despite suffering damage during the British bombardment before the Battle of the Plains of Abraham in September 1759, the church was fully restored in 1816.
Today, it holds the status of a historic monument and continues to attract tourists while serving as a place of worship. Recent restoration efforts have returned the church to its original French colonial style. Despite various renovations spanning centuries, some original elements from the 1600s, such as a basement wall fragment and the turret on the facade, still remain.
The austere church interior features 17th to 19th-century paintings by artists like Van Dyck, Rubens, and Boyermans, as well as unique frescoes depicting local history by artist Jean-Marie Tardivel. Most captivating is a suspended replica of the 17th-century vessel Le Br茅z茅, used to transport French soldiers to New France in 1664 under Marquis de Tracy. It was salvaged from church ruins in 1759.
In 2002, the church gained recognition as a filming location for the movie "Catch Me If You Can," featuring Leonardo DiCaprio and Tom Hanks.
Originally dedicated to the baby Jesus (l'Enfant J茅sus), the church was renamed Our Lady of Victory after the Battle of Quebec in 1690. In 1711, it changed its name to "of Victories" following the sinking of British Admiral Hovenden Walker's fleet due to bad weather. Despite suffering damage during the British bombardment before the Battle of the Plains of Abraham in September 1759, the church was fully restored in 1816.
Today, it holds the status of a historic monument and continues to attract tourists while serving as a place of worship. Recent restoration efforts have returned the church to its original French colonial style. Despite various renovations spanning centuries, some original elements from the 1600s, such as a basement wall fragment and the turret on the facade, still remain.
The austere church interior features 17th to 19th-century paintings by artists like Van Dyck, Rubens, and Boyermans, as well as unique frescoes depicting local history by artist Jean-Marie Tardivel. Most captivating is a suspended replica of the 17th-century vessel Le Br茅z茅, used to transport French soldiers to New France in 1664 under Marquis de Tracy. It was salvaged from church ruins in 1759.
In 2002, the church gained recognition as a filming location for the movie "Catch Me If You Can," featuring Leonardo DiCaprio and Tom Hanks.
Want to visit this sight? Check out these Self-Guided Walking Tours in Quebec City. Alternatively, you can download the mobile app "51爆料网: Walks in 1K+ Cities" from Apple App Store or Google Play Store. The app turns your mobile device to a personal tour guide and it works offline, so no data plan is needed when traveling abroad.
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Notre-Dame-des-Victoires (Our Lady of Victories Church) on Map
Sight Name: Notre-Dame-des-Victoires (Our Lady of Victories Church)
Sight Location: Quebec City, Canada (See walking tours in Quebec City)
Sight Type: Religious
Guide(s) Containing This Sight:
Sight Location: Quebec City, Canada (See walking tours in Quebec City)
Sight Type: Religious
Guide(s) Containing This Sight:
Walking Tours in Quebec City, Quebec
Create Your Own Walk in Quebec City
Creating your own self-guided walk in Quebec City is easy and fun. Choose the city attractions that you want to see and a walk route map will be created just for you. You can even set your hotel as the start point of the walk.
Quebec City Introduction Walking Tour
Cresting a cliff above the St. Lawrence River, Qu茅bec City (French: Ville de Qu茅bec) is the soul of the province of Qu茅bec 鈥� a place all its own; a country within a country with its own traditions, architecture, and French-speaking population.
The Algonquian people had originally named the area K茅bec, which means "where the river narrows", because the Saint Lawrence River... view more
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 3.2 Km or 2 Miles
The Algonquian people had originally named the area K茅bec, which means "where the river narrows", because the Saint Lawrence River... view more
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 3.2 Km or 2 Miles
Qucbec City's Historical Churches Walking Tour
The first religious buildings in Canada were established by the R茅collets and Jesuits, in 1615 and 1625, respectively, when they first arrived in New France. Later on, the French colonists brought along their culture and architectural traditions, and the establishment of British and evangelical society triggered further major developments in Quebec City.
Over the course of the 17th and 18th... view more
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.9 Km or 1.8 Miles
Over the course of the 17th and 18th... view more
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.9 Km or 1.8 Miles
Historical Houses Walking Tour
Quebec City, particularly evocative of Europe in its atmosphere, is often referred to as the cradle of New France. The city boasts one of the richest architectural heritages in North America, though most of its buildings had to be adapted to harsh winters and the lack of specialized workers and materials in the colony. As such, the majority of local houses were designed as simple and efficient... view more
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.5 Km or 1.6 Miles
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.5 Km or 1.6 Miles
Old Quebec Walk
The historic part of Quebec City known as Old Quebec (French: Vieux-Qu茅bec), sometimes also referred to as the Latin Quarter (Quartier Latin), is the neighborhood centered around Cape Diamond (Cap Diamant), located on the eastern edge of Quebec hill promontory. The area comprises Upper Town (Haute-Ville) and Lower Town (Basse-Ville) and is currently listed among UNESCO鈥檚 World Heritage Sites.
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Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.6 Km or 1.6 Miles
... view more
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.6 Km or 1.6 Miles