While technically a part of Quebec City, Charlesbourg has a larger role to play than just being a suburb to the provincial capital. Jacques Cartier, the first European to arrive spent the winter of 1535 here, but it wasn’t until over a century later before the town was founded in 1659.
The roads radiate from a central square that has been quartered unevenly. Within this square, you’ll find about a half dozen historical sites. The Saint-Charles-Borromee Church occupies the centre of the square. On the same block as the church are the old and new buildings of the Paul-Aimé-Paiement Library. The new building has a very cool sloped roof that doubles as a public green space. The Maison Magellan-Paradis and a neighbouring historic home is now home to the Society Artistique de Charlesbourg.
Just outside the square is an 18th century Jesuit mill called Le Moulin-de-Jesuits. It used to be a flour mill, but is now a sort of pioneer museum for the area. Several other historic homes related to early 19th century Jesuit history of the area still exist and are clearly marked with plaques. The Maison Éphiraïm-Bédard is now a museum on Jesuits in Quebec.
0 Comments