Built between 1800 and 1804, Holy Trinity was the first Anglican cathedral to be built outside of the British Isles. Erected in the city centre, this cathedral counterbalanced the neighbouring Notre Dame Basilica, frequented by French-speaking Catholics. This magnificent painting by artist Henry Cotton depicts the cathedral in the mid-19th century.

1840 - 1889

A partly English-speaking city

Today, the vast majority of Québec City’s population speaks French as their first language. It is hard to imagine that a great part of the city was once English! However, it was the case in the mid-19th century. A large wave of immigration from the British Isles came through Québec City, the point of entry to Canada. The Anglophone presence peaked in Québec City around 1870, when nearly half of the residents, mainly from Ireland, were English-speaking. Come and rediscover Québec City’s English-speaking past!

The courthouse, Holy Trinity Cathedral, Sainte-Anne Street and Place d’Armes in winter, Québec City

Henry Cotton Built between 1800 and 1804, Holy Trinity was the first Anglican cathedral to be built outside of the British Isles. Erected in the city centre, this cathedral counterbalanced the neighbouring Notre Dame Basilica, frequented by French-speaking Catholics. This magnificent painting by artist Henry Cotton depicts the cathedral in the mid-19th century.

Chronoscope Can you locate this building on the map? (unilingual French for a limited time)

Depicted period: 1855

Source: Musée national des beaux-arts du Québec Document in the public domain (free of copyright) - Date: 1855

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