Ursulines of Quebec, Religious convent in Old Quebec, Canada
The Ursuline Monastery consists of 15 stone buildings arranged around a central courtyard with rectangular forms and steep roofs. Inside, a museum displays religious objects, teaching materials, and documents from the early colonial period of New France.
The monastery was founded in 1639 by Marie Guyart and two other nuns, becoming the first educational institution for women in North America. This establishment marked the start of a new era for female education in the colonized world.
The chapel shows wooden sculptures and an altar from the 1730s that reveal French Canadian craftsmanship. The works come from the Levasseur family and display how skill and faith intertwined in daily life here.
The site is located in Old Quebec and easily walkable, with clear paths between buildings and the central courtyard. Visitors should expect a few steps since the grounds are gently sloped, and wear proper shoes for the cobblestone areas.
The nuns created dictionaries of Algonquin and Iroquois languages during the 17th and 18th centuries to communicate with indigenous children. These language works helped preserve and share knowledge between two worlds.
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