City Hall of Quebec City (Hotel de Ville), Quebec City

The City Hall of Quebec City (Hôtel de ville de Québec) is the seat of the local government and a National Historic Site of Canada since 1984; it was also listed as a World Heritage Site in 1985.

Prior to its construction, from 1842 to 1896, the municipal authorities met at the home of the British Army Major General William Dunn, and before that – at various other places.

The building sits on a hill that, from the 1730s to 1878, was occupied by the Jesuit College (Jesuit Barracks), which was then demolished to make way for the new City Hall. The latter, designed by architect Georges-Émile Tanguay, was the second permanent city hall in the Old City. Its architectural plan sparked fierce debate, at the time, between the mayor and the city councilors. Nonetheless, the building was completed in 1895 and was finally inaugurated on September 15, 1896.

The City Hall features traditional for the late Victorian period eclectic mix of Classical, Medieval, and Châteauesque styles, with some elements of the American Romanesque Revival influence. The overall exterior catches the eye as it contrasts the more habitual French and British styles of architecture observed in the local public buildings.

The H-shaped edifice has various heights; its center and sides are accentuated by towers with steeply-pitched roofs. An indoor parking lot is hidden underneath the gardens – a parterre of greenery, created in 2014, featuring water jets and a clock (a gift from the Swiss Canton of Jura, designed and manufactured by Richard Mille).

The whole area has tons of atmosphere and is very beautiful in the evening.