Cathedral-Basilica of Notre-Dame de Québec facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Notre-Dame de Québec |
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Cathedral-Basilica of Notre-Dame de Québec in 2012
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| Location | 16, rue de Buade Quebec City, Quebec G1R 4A1 |
| Country | Canada |
| Denomination | Roman Catholic |
| History | |
| Status | Cathedral, minor basilica |
| Founded | 1647 (original building) |
| Founder(s) | François de Laval |
| Dedication | Virgin Mary |
| Architecture | |
| Functional status | Functional |
| Designated | 1989 |
| Architect(s) | Jean Baillairgé |
| Architectural type | Neoclassical |
| Completed | 1843 |
| Administration | |
| Archdiocese | Quebec |
The Cathedral-Basilica of Notre-Dame de Québec is a very important church located in Quebec City, Quebec. It is the main church for the Roman Catholic faith in Quebec. This church is the oldest Catholic church in Canada. In 1874, Pope Pius IX gave it the special title of "minor basilica". This means it has a higher status than many other churches.
Many important people are buried in a special underground area called the crypt. These include four governors of New France and the bishops of Quebec. François de Laval, Quebec's first bishop, is also buried there.
The church is a National Historic Site of Canada. It is also part of the Historic District of Old Québec, which is a World Heritage Site recognized by UNESCO. This means it is considered very important globally.
History of the Cathedral
The Notre-Dame de Québec Cathedral stands on the site of a small chapel. This chapel, called Notre Dame de la Recouvrance, was built by Samuel de Champlain in 1633. The construction of the first large church building started in 1647. It was given the name Notre-Dame de la Paix.
The cathedral has been destroyed by fire two times. The first time was during the Siege of Quebec in 1759. It was rebuilt using plans drawn by Gaspard-Joseph Chaussegros de Léry in 1743. The belltower was designed by Jean Baillairgé, who also supervised the building work.
The inside of the church was designed by Jean Baillairgé and his son François. They worked on it from 1786 to 1822. In 1843, François' son, Thomas, suggested changing the front of the church. He wanted it to look like the Sainte-Geneviève church in Paris. This led to the beautiful Neo-classic front you see today. The cathedral was decorated with many impressive artworks. These included a special canopy, a bishop's throne, stained glass windows, and paintings. There was also a chancel lamp, which was a gift from King Louis XIV of France.
In 1922, the church was again badly damaged by fire. It was then restored by architects Maxime Roisin and Raoul Chenevert. Raoul Chenevert also added a building next to the cathedral in 1931–1932. This building was for the priests. From 1961 to 1993, Claude Lagacé was the organist and choirmaster at the cathedral.
In 2014, the cathedral celebrated its 350th anniversary. As part of the celebrations, a special "holy door" was built. This was only the second holy door outside of Europe and one of only eight in the world. The holy door was opened on December 8, 2013. It stayed open until December 28, 2014. It opened again from December 8, 2015, to November 20, 2016, for a special "Year of Mercy". After that, it was sealed until 2024.
The cathedral was named a national historic site of Canada in 1989. This was because of its long history with New France. It also influenced how other churches in Quebec were built and decorated.
Gallery
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Interior
See also
In Spanish: Notre-Dame de Quebec para niños
- Jean Lemire, the master carpenter who constructed the south steeple of an early iteration of the church, 1684
- List of cathedrals in Canada
- Roman Catholic Marian churches
