Did you know that… ?

Many marks and symbols of North America’s History are visible in Old Québec,

making it #1 Canadian destination to discover how

the History of Québec, Canada, France, the U.S.A. and U.K. are intertwined!

Historical Note 1

Did you know that… Old-Québec has been a UNESCO World Heritage site since 1985?

Old Québec is one of the 20 natural or cultural World Heritage sites in Canada listed by the UNESCO (United Nations Education, Science and Cultural Organization). Among these 20 sites, two only are urban centers, the Historic District of Old Québec and Old Lunenburg in Nova Scotia.

The UNESCO listed Old Québec as an outstanding site for two reasons :

· A coherent and well-preserved urban ensemble, the Historic District of Old Québec is an exceptional example of a fortified colonial town and by far the most complete north of Mexico.

· Québec, the former capital of New France, illustrates one of the major stages in the European settlement of the colonization of the Americas by Europeans.

Old Lunenburg is also an exceptional historic district, for these two reasons :

· Old Town Lunenburg is a well-preserved example of 18th century British colonial urban planning, which has undergone no significant changes since its foundation, and which largely continues to fulfil the economic and social purposes for which it was designed. Of special importance is its diversified and well-preserved vernacular architectural tradition, which spans over 250 years.

· Old Town Lunenburg is an excellent example of an urban community and culture designed for and based on the offshore Atlantic fishery which is undergoing irreversible change and is evolving in a form that cannot yet be fully defined.

A natural site located in the Province of Québec is worth mentioning it : Miguasha. Dating from the Age of Fishes – the Devonian 370 million years ago – this is the best site in the world to discover fossils showing four-legged and air-breathing animals –tetrapods – a clear evidence of the transition from ocean to terrestrial life.

Here are the 20 Canadian UNESCO World Heritage sites in 2021 :

· L’Anse aux Meadows National Historic Site

· Nahanni National Park

· Dinosaur Provincial Park

· Kluane / Wrangell-St. Elias / Glacier Bay / Tatshenshini-Alsek

· Head-Smashed-In Buffalo Jump

· SGang Gwaay

· Wood Buffalo National Park

· Canadian Rocky Mountain Parks

· Historic District of Old Québec

· Gros Morne National Park

· Old Town Lunenburg