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In this piece by artist Robert Wallis, we see just how exceptional the view from the Citadel of Québec really was. For instance, arriving boats could be watched from here. To get to Québec City, ships must navigate down the St. Lawrence River and through a narrow passage south of Île d’Orléans.
1840 - 1873

Changing of the guard in Québec City

After the American revolutionaries’ 1775 attack on Québec City, the British authorities reinforced their military presence in the city. Considered to be a strategic site to defend, Québec City was home to large British garrisons. For decades, the daily lives of the city’s residents were marked by this heavy military presence. Things changed, however, with the signing of the Treaty of Washington on May 8, 1871, which settled several disputes between Britain and the United States. An era of peaceful political relations began, and most of the British garrisons left Québec City with a grand ceremony. Relive the events through the period’s artworks!

View of Québec City from the Citadel

Robert Wallis, after William Henry Bartlett In this piece by artist Robert Wallis, we see just how exceptional the view from the Citadel of Québec really was. For instance, arriving boats could be watched from here. To get to Québec City, ships must navigate down the St. Lawrence River and through a narrow passage south of Île d’Orléans.
Chronoscope What do you notice in the image? (unilingual French for a limited time) Source: Musée national des beaux-arts du Québec Document in the public domain (free of copyright) - Date: 1840