View of the fortifications of the Citadelle, with the Parliament Building behind |
The star-shaped fortification was developed by a French engineer called Vauban. Construction began in the 18th century under Louis de Buade, sieur de Frontenac, but was left unfinished until the War of 1812. The surviving buildings were built between 1820 and 1831 under the direction of the British colonel Elias Durnford.
The Quebec Conferences of 1943 and 1944, in which Winston Churchill, Franklin D. Roosevelt, and William Lyon Mackenzie King discussed strategy for World War II, were held at the Citadelle.
The Citadelle is the home base of Le Royal 22e Régiment of the Canadian Forces. In addition to its use as a military installation, it is also a residence of the Governor General of Canada, who by tradition resides there for several weeks out of the year. (The Governor General's official residence in Ottawa is Rideau Hall.)