Château Frontenac, Grand railway hotel in Old Quebec, Canada
Château Frontenac is a grand railway hotel in Old Quebec, Canada, perched on a steep slope above the St. Lawrence River. The facade shows dark-gray stone walls beneath a turquoise copper roof with numerous towers, chimneys and dormer windows that give the entire building the appearance of a French château.
Canadian Pacific Railway commissioned architect Bruce Price to design this landmark, which opened on December 18, 1893, as part of a chain of hotels for transcontinental travelers. The building hosted key World War II meetings between Winston Churchill, Franklin Roosevelt and Mackenzie King during the Quebec Conferences of 1943 and 1944.
The name honors Louis de Buade, Count of Frontenac, a 17th-century French governor known for his spirited judgments and defense of the city. The building remains a gathering spot for weddings and events where the region's French-speaking population mingles with international guests.
The hotel holds 610 rooms and suites along with three restaurants serving meals throughout the day near Place d'Armes in Upper Town. Visitors can enter the public areas without staying overnight to view the architecture and the river overlooks.
The building grew in stages, with an additional wing added in 1924 that changed the original silhouette and increased the total number of towers. The central tower reaches 79.9 meters (262 feet) in height, giving it a commanding profile above the Old Town rooftops.
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