Château Frontenac

Quebec City, Canada

The Château Frontenac is a grand hotel in Quebec, Canada. The hotel is generally recognized as the most photographed hotel in the world, largely for its prominence in the skyline of Quebec City. The current hotel capacity is more than 600 rooms on 18 floors.

The Château Frontenac was designed by American architect Bruce Price, as one of a series of 'château' style hotels built for the Canadian Pacific Railway company (CPR) during the late 19th and early 20th centuries; the newer portions of the hotel, including the central tower (1924), were designed by Canadian architect William Sutherland Maxwell. CPR's policy was to promote luxury tourism by appealing to wealthy travellers. The Château Frontenac opened in 1893, six years after the Banff Springs Hotel, which was owned by the same company and is similar in style.

The Château Frontenac was named after Louis de Buade, Count of Frontenac, who was governor of the colony of New France from 1672 to 1682 and 1689 to 1698. The Château was built near the historic Citadelle, the construction of which Frontenac had begun at the end of the 17th century. The Quebec Conference of 1943, at which Winston Churchill, Franklin D. Roosevelt, and William Lyon Mackenzie King discussed strategy for World War II, was held at the Château Frontenac while much of the staff stayed nearby at the Citadelle.

Although several of Quebec City's buildings are taller, the landmark hotel is perched atop a tall cape overlooking the Saint Lawrence River, affording a spectacular view for several kilometers. The building is the most prominent feature of the Quebec City skyline as seen from across the Saint Lawrence.

The World War II Allies' Quebec Conferences of 1943 and 1944 were held at the Château.

References:

Comments

Your name

Website (optional)


Address

Rue des Carrières 1, Quebec City, Canada
See all sites in Quebec City

Details

Founded: 1893
Category: Palaces, manors and town halls in Canada

More Information

www.fairmont.com
en.wikipedia.org

Rating

4.6/5 (based on Google user reviews)

Interesting Sites Nearby


Historic District of Old Québec (0,1 km)
Notre-Dame-des-Victoires Church (0,2 km)
Cathedral of the Holy Trinity (0,1 km)
Cathedral-Basilica of Notre-Dame de Québec (0,2 km)
Quebec City Hall (0,3 km)
Fortifications of Québec (0,5 km)
Ursuline Monastery (0,2 km)
Citadelle of Quebec (0,5 km)
Cartier-Brébeuf National Historic Site (3 km)

User Reviews

Martin Martino (3 months ago)
I love this place. Try to get a room high in the hotel, looking over the St. Lawrence. It's not as old as it looks - this beauty - but it really has the feel of a Chateau. The location - high overlooking the River - tucked into Old Quebec - just cannot be beaten. The Old City is one of the few places in North America with an "Old World" vibe, and the Chateau's soaring presence is part of that mystique. The hotel has all the amenities you would expect - and though Quebec City is very much a French-speaking city, you'll get excellent service in both French and English at the hotel (and most places in the Old City).
Kerry Watterson (3 months ago)
This was our first time as a family in Quebec City. We can from the States for spring break, in March! We decided to splurge and stay at the world-famous Chateau Frontenac, and we were not disappointed! We stayed in a Family Suite overlooking the river, and the room was big and airy with great views. The staff was wonderful, courteous and friendly. The concierge helped us choose restaurants for our liking and even made the reservations for us. All in all, a delightful 5 night stay! We will be back!
Anita H (3 months ago)
Excellent and courteous staff! Everyone here is so pleasant. The hotel is beautiful and close proximity to everything. We ate at Le Sam restaurant, good food and amazing service! Valet parking is very efficient and well organized. Rooms are clean.
Brian Ross (4 months ago)
Stayed here with my wife for our baby-moon. When we mentioned this, they upgraded our room to a deluxe room with a better view. The service was top notch and the room and view was beautiful. We had breakfast at the restaurant and the food and service was amazing there too. Would definitely recommend if you want a classy Quebec city experience. We will be returning!
Koray Korkmaz (4 months ago)
Definitely the best hotel in Quebec City. It's the most photographed hotel in the world for a reason. The hotel itself is picturesque and the views from the hotel is stunning! I strongly suggest to book a room with a river view. The staff were very helpful and the prices weren't expensive during winter. The parking is also very convenient as you don't have to park your car yourself which was a big plus for me. The hotel is being operated by the Fairmont group and they do a great job.
Powered by Google

Featured Historic Landmarks, Sites & Buildings

Must-see historic sighs in Luxembourg
Photo from Flickr, copyright Alexxx1979

Historic Site of the week

Church of the Savior on Blood

The Church of the Savior on Spilled Blood is one of the main sights of St. Petersburg. The church was built on the site where Tsar Alexander II was assassinated and was dedicated in his memory. Construction began in 1883 under Alexander III, as a memorial to his father, Alexander II. Work progressed slowly and was finally completed during the reign of Nicholas II in 1907. Funding was provided by the Imperial family with the support of many private donors.

Architecturally, the Cathedral differs from St. Petersburg's other structures. The city's architecture is predominantly Baroque and Neoclassical, but the Savior on Blood harks back to medieval Russian architecture in the spirit of romantic nationalism. It intentionally resembles the 17th-century Yaroslavl churches and the celebrated St. Basil's Cathedral in Moscow.

The Church contains over 7500 square metres of mosaics — according to its restorers, more than any other church in the world. The interior was designed by some of the most celebrated Russian artists of the day — including Viktor Vasnetsov, Mikhail Nesterov and Mikhail Vrubel — but the church's chief architect, Alfred Alexandrovich Parland, was relatively little-known (born in St. Petersburg in 1842 in a Baltic-German Lutheran family). Perhaps not surprisingly, the Church's construction ran well over budget, having been estimated at 3.6 million roubles but ending up costing over 4.6 million. The walls and ceilings inside the Church are completely covered in intricately detailed mosaics — the main pictures being biblical scenes or figures — but with very fine patterned borders setting off each picture.

In the aftermath of the Russian Revolution, the church was ransacked and looted, badly damaging its interior. The Soviet government closed the church in the early 1930s. During the Second World War when many people were starving due to the Siege of Leningrad by Nazi German military forces, the church was used as a temporary morgue for those who died in combat and from starvation and illness. The church suffered significant damage. After the war, it was used as a warehouse for vegetables, leading to the sardonic name of Saviour on Potatoes.

In July 1970, management of the Church passed to Saint Isaac's Cathedral (then used as a highly profitable museum) and proceeds from the Cathedral were funneled back into restoring the Church. It was reopened in August 1997, after 27 years of restoration, but has not been reconsecrated and does not function as a full-time place of worship; it is a Museum of Mosaics. Even before the Revolution it never functioned as a public place of worship; having been dedicated exclusively to the memory of the assassinated tsar, the only services were panikhidas (memorial services). The Church is now one of the main tourist attractions in St. Petersburg.

Map Top Sights Tags Historical Periods City Guides About Us Sign Up Upload new site
© 2019 SpottingHistory.com. All rights reserved.