The Catholic Church is largely responsible for the rise of the French colonies in New France, and although the Quebeckers have not really fueled the religious flame since the “Révolution tranquille” of the 60s, several places of worship remain magnificent sites that are very popular with tourists when visiting Old Québec and the Quebec City region in general. Here is a tour of the churches in Québec City to visit during your stay.

Church of Notre-Dame-Des-Victoire. 32, Rue sous-Le-Fort

The construction of Notre-Dame-des-Victoires Church , one of the oldest In North America, began in 1687 and ended in 1723. Built on the foundations of one of Champlain’s housings, it was of course razed during the English bombings that preceded the Battle of the Plains of Abraham in 1759. The reconstruction began as soon as the Treaty of Paris was signed in 1763, and its present form is the creation of the famous architect Francois Baillargé after a major renovation began in 1816. In 1988, the church was designated a national historic site by the Canadian government.

Basilica-Cathedral of Notre-Dame de Québec. 16, Rue de Buade

Oldest Parish in North America, Notre-Dame Cathedral of Quebec is built between 1647 and 1650 and the interior is based On the Notre-Dame-Des-Victoires Cathedral in Paris. Several times destroyed, its last reconstruction dates back to 1930. Place of burial of several important personages of New France including the first bishop of New France François de Laval, the Cathedral became the first Basilica Minor in 1874. To mark the 350th anniversary of the first Catholic parish in North America, Pope Francis granted the Basilica-Cathedral of Notre-Dame de Québec the only Holy Door outside Europe, the 7th in the world, making this church even more special and attractive to tourists.

Saint-Roch Church of Quebec. 590 Rue Saint-Joseph Est

Located in the heart of the Quartier Nouvo Saint-Roch, the Saint-Roch Church of Quebec  is the largest in the city in terms of area. It is also the host of the third largest Casavant-style organ in the province of Quebec. The first construction ends in 1811, but the current form is the result of the 4th religious construction on this site. Having now many vocations, either Eucharistic, mercantile or communitarian, it is one of the only churches in Quebec that is self-sufficient financially.

St. Andrews Presbyterian Church. 106 Rue Saint-Anne

The first Presbyterian congregation in New France, the Saint Andrews Presbyterian Church draws its origins from the Battle of the Plains of Abraham, an event that in fact marks the fall of the French colony, with the 78th Fraser highlanders who founded it when the regiment was dissolved in Quebec in 1763. The church is not completed until 1810, and rapidly became a beacon for the English-speaking community of Quebec by taking care of education and health care.

Holy Trinity Cathedral. 31, Rue des Jardins

First Anglican Cathedral built outside the British Isles, Holy Trinity Cathedral in Quebec City  is now the only church in Quebec City that regularly provides services both in English and in French. Like the Presbyterian Church, it was after the conquest of Quebec by the British that King George III, head of the Anglican Church, decided to establish an Anglican church in the capital of his new colony. It was not until 1804 that the construction ended, and the bell tower remained for a long time the tallest structure in Quebec City.

Cathedral of Sainte-Anne-De-Beaupré. 10018 Avenue Royale, Sainte-Anne-De-Beaupré.

A place of pilgrimage that attracts more than half a million pilgrims each year, the Sainte-Anne-de-Beaupré Cathedral  is recognized throughout the world as a place where many miracles have occurred. Built in the heydays of colonisation of New France in the 1660s, it now houses “14 stations of the cross”, sculptures of the famous artist Joseph-Émile Brunet. It also contains statutes representing important figures of the French colony in New France such as the first bishop of Quebec, François De Laval, Marie de l’Incarnation and Kateri Tekakwitha.

Do you worry, you will have ample opportunity to satisfy your faith during your visit to Quebec City with this tour of the churches of Quebec and the region.