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125-677: The Fairmont Le Château Frontenac , commonly referred to as the Château Frontenac , is a historic hotel in Quebec City , Quebec , Canada. The hotel is situated in Old Quebec , within the historic district's Upper Town, on the southern side of Place d'Armes . The Château Frontenac was designed by Bruce Price , and was built by the Canadian Pacific Railway company. The hotel is managed by Fairmont Hotels and Resorts . Opened in 1893,

250-598: A French settlement here in 1608, and adopted the Algonquin name. Quebec City is one of the oldest European settlements in North America. The ramparts surrounding Old Quebec ( Vieux-Québec ) are the only fortified city walls remaining in the Americas north of Mexico . This area was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1985 as the "Historic District of Old Québec". Common English-language usage distinguishes

375-415: A common occurrence. On average, Quebec City receives 1,190 millimetres (46.85 in) of precipitation, of which 899 millimetres (35.39 in) is rain and 303 millimetres (11.93 in) is the melt from 316 centimetres (124.4 in) of snowfall per annum. The city experiences around 1,916 hours of bright sunshine annually or 41.5% of possible sunshine, with summer being the sunniest, but also slightly

500-619: A dyewood in high demand in Europe. The center of their activity and the primary point of export was Belize . Under Article XVII of the Treaty of Paris (1763) , British cutters were for the first time given the right to cut logwood in Yucatan unmolested, within agreed limits. Such was the enthusiasm of the cutters that within a few years the European market was glutted, and the price of logwood collapsed. However,

625-508: A favorable wood for crafting cabinets and furniture. Much of the first-quality furniture made in the American colonies from the mid 18th century was made of mahogany, when the wood first became available to American craftsmen. Mahogany is still widely used for fine furniture; however, the rarity of Cuban mahogany, the over-harvesting of Honduras and Brazilian mahogany, and the protests by indigenous peoples and environmental organizations from

750-615: A generic term for 'wood' in a native Bahamian language. F. Bruce Lamb disagreed, pointing out that the Arawak language 's word for wood is caoba . Lamb identified a West African origin for the word in the Yoruba oganwo , collectively m'oganwo (meaning one which is the tallest or most high ) used for the Khaya genus of trees, whose timber is today called African mahogany. Lamb proposes that Yoruba and Igbo people brought to Jamaica as slaves identified

875-470: A greater emphasis on Gothic elements. The hotel also draws certain elements from Victorian style of architecture , with rich polychromatic surfaces throughout its exterior. Built in 1892–93, the Château Frontenac was originally designed by architect Bruce Price . Price's plan called for a horseshoe-shaped hotel, made up of four wings of unequal length, connected at obtuse angles. Public rooms made up

1000-510: A land area of 452.3 km (174.6 sq mi), it had a population density of 1,214.8/km (3,146.3/sq mi) in 2021. According to Statistics Canada, there were 839,311 people residing in the Quebec City census metropolitan area. In 2016, 20.6% of the resident population in Quebec City was of retirement age (65 and over for males and females) compared with 16.9% in Canada. The median age

1125-566: A lower percentage of Indigenous Canadians (1.8%) than the national average of 5.0%. The 2021 census reported that immigrants (individuals born outside Canada) comprise 45,230 persons or 8.5% of the total population of Quebec City. Of the total immigrant population, the top countries of origin were France (7,360 persons or 16.3%), Colombia (2,865 persons or 6.3%), Morocco (2,715 persons or 6.0%), Ivory Coast (2,500 persons or 5.5%), Cameroon (2,225 persons or 4.9%), Algeria (1,920 persons or 4.2%), Tunisia (1,795 persons or 4.0%), Democratic Republic of

1250-529: A major producer of mahogany in the 21st Century due to a robust plantation program spanning over 50 years. Harvesting began in 2003. The name mahogany was initially associated only with those islands in the West Indies under British control (French colonists used the term acajou , while in the Spanish territories it was called caoba ). The origin of the name is uncertain, but it could be a corruption of 'm'oganwo',

1375-948: A number of accounting and law firms have moved since the 2000s. Other suburban places identified by the city for their potential are the Lebourgneuf area for private offices, as well as Estimauville Street where the Government of Canada already has many civil servants and where several city officials are expected to move in the 2020s. Quebec City is known for its Winter Carnival , its summer music festival and its Saint-Jean-Baptiste Day celebrations. The Jardin zoologique du Québec , now closed, reopened in 2002 after extensive repairs before ultimately shutting permanently in 2006. It featured 750 specimens of 300 different species of animals. The zoo specialized in winged fauna and garden themes but also featured several species of mammals. While it emphasized Quebec's indigenous fauna, one of its main attractions

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1500-514: A paddle also appears on the Belizean national coat of arms , under the national motto , Sub umbra floreo , Latin for "under the shade I flourish." The specific density of mahogany is 0.55. Mahogany, African: (500–850 kg/m ); Mahogany, Cuban: 660 kg/m ; Mahogany, Honduras: 650 kg/m ; Mahogany, Spanish: 850 kg/m . The three species are: While only the three Swietenia species are classified officially as "genuine mahogany",

1625-443: A peak in the last quarter of the 19th century. Figures are not available for all countries, but Britain alone imported more than 80,000 tons in 1875. This figure was not matched again. From the 1880s, African mahogany ( Khaya spp.), a related genus, began to be exported in increasing quantities from West Africa, and by the early 20th century it dominated the market. In 1907 the total of mahogany from all sources imported into Europe

1750-458: A result, in English, the federal government style distinguishes the city and province by spelling the city with an acute accent (Québec) and the province without one (Quebec). The government of Quebec spells both names "Québec", including when writing in English. In French, the two are distinguished in that province names including Quebec generally take definite articles , while city names do not. As

1875-476: A result, the city is Québec and the province is le Québec ; "in Quebec City" is à Québec and "in the province of Quebec" is au Québec ; and so forth. The Algonquian people had originally named the area Kébec , an Algonquin word meaning "where the river narrows", because the Saint Lawrence River narrows proximate to the promontory of Quebec and its Cape Diamant . Quebec City

2000-429: A template for other Canadian grand railway hotels erected in the late-19th to early-20th century. The central fortress-like tower design is derived from medieval châteaux found throughout France 's Loire Valley . Châteauesque elements include the hotel's asymmetrical profile, with steeply pitched roofs, massive circular and polygonal towers and turrets, ornate gables and dormers , and tall chimneys. The exterior base of

2125-533: A very deep, warm tone compared to other commonly used woods, such as maple , alder , ash ( Fraxinus ) or spruce . Guitars featuring mahogany in their construction include many acoustic guitars from Martin , Taylor , and Gibson , and Gibson electric guitars such as the Les Paul and SG . In the 1930s Gibson used the wood to make banjo necks as well. In the Philippines, environmentalists are calling for an end to

2250-631: A woody area attested as Coteau Sainte-Geneviève  [ fr ] . The area was affected by the 1925 Charlevoix–Kamouraska earthquake . The administrative region in which it is situated is officially referred to as Capitale-Nationale , and the term "national capital" is used to refer to Quebec City itself at the provincial level. Quebec City is classified as a hemiboreal humid continental climate ( Köppen climate classification Dfb , Trewartha Dcbc ). Quebec City experiences four distinct seasons. Summers are warm and occasionally hot, with periods of hotter temperatures which compounded with

2375-434: Is 43.3 years of age compared to 41.2 years of age for Canada as a whole. In the five years between 2011 and 2016, the population of Quebec City grew by 3%. In 2021, 9.4% of Quebec City residents reported visible minority status, a relatively low figure for a large Canadian city; the national average was 26.5%. The largest visible minority group were Black Canadians , who formed 4.1% of the population. Quebec City also had

2500-560: Is also the domicile of the sole manufactory of the cigarette maker Rothmans, Benson & Hedges . While the traditional central business districts and their large office buildings are found on Parliament Hill (especially for provincial administration) and just below in Saint-Roch (nowadays notable for IT and the video game industry), a newer one has emerged in the Boulevard Laurier  [ fr ] area of Sainte-Foy , where

2625-519: Is burnt more than what they would have..." The wood first came to the notice of Europeans with the beginning of Spanish colonisation in the Americas. A cross in the Cathedral at Santo Domingo , bearing the date 1514, is said to be mahogany, and Philip II of Spain apparently used the wood for the interior joinery of the palace El Escorial , begun in 1584. However, caoba , as the Taino Natives called

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2750-639: Is estimated that some 80 or 90 percent of Peruvian mahogany exported to the United States is illegally harvested , with the economic cost of illegal logging in Peru placed conservatively at $ 40–70 million USD annually. It was estimated that in 2000, some 57,000 mahogany trees were harvested to supply the U.S. furniture trade alone. Mahogany is the national tree of the Dominican Republic and Belize . A mahogany tree with two woodcutters bearing an axe and

2875-503: Is home to the earliest known French settlement in North America, Fort Charlesbourg-Royal , established in 1541 by explorer Jacques Cartier with some 400 persons but abandoned less than a year later due to the harsh winter and resistance of indigenous inhabitants to colonial incursion on their land. The fort was at the mouth of the Rivière du Cap Rouge , in the suburban former town of Cap-Rouge (which merged into Quebec City in 2002). Quebec

3000-438: Is no evidence for mahogany as a generic word. Mahogany is a commercially important lumber prized for its beauty, durability, and color, and used for paneling and to make furniture , boats , musical instruments and other items. The leading importer of mahogany is the United States, followed by Britain; while the largest exporter today is Peru , which surpassed Brazil after that country banned mahogany exports in 2001. It

3125-519: Is one of the oldest European settlements in North America and the only fortified city north of Mexico whose walls still exist. While many of the major cities in Latin America date from the 16th century, among cities in Canada and the United States, few were created earlier than Quebec City ( St. John's , Harbour Grace , Port Royal , St. Augustine , Santa Fe , Jamestown , and Tadoussac ). It

3250-516: Is the capital city of the Canadian province of Quebec . As of July 2021, the city had a population of 549,459, and the metropolitan area had a population of 839,311. It is the twelfth -largest city and the seventh -largest metropolitan area in Canada. It is also the second-largest city in the province, after Montreal . It has a humid continental climate with warm summers coupled with cold and snowy winters. Explorer Samuel de Champlain founded

3375-504: Is the city's largest institutional employer, with more than 10,000 employees in 2007. The unemployment rate in June 2018 was 3.8%, below the national average (6.0%) and the second-lowest of Canada's 34 largest cities, behind Peterborough (2.7%). Around 10% of jobs are in manufacturing. Principal products include pulp and paper, processed food, metal/wood items, chemicals, electronics and electrical equipment, and printed materials. The city hosts

3500-430: The 2021 census , religious groups in Quebec City included: Most jobs in Quebec City are concentrated in public administration, defence, services, commerce, transport and tourism. As the provincial capital, the city benefits from being a regional administrative and services centre: apropos, the provincial government is the largest employer in the city, employing 27,900 people as of 2007. CHUQ (the local hospital network)

3625-540: The Acadian settlement at Port-Royal was established three years earlier, Quebec came to be known as the cradle of North America's Francophone population. The location seemed favourable to the establishment of a permanent colony. The population of the settlement remained small for decades. In 1629 it was captured by English privateers , led by David Kirke , during the Anglo-French War . Samuel de Champlain argued that

3750-561: The Charles de Gaulle , named after the former President of France , and the Elizabeth II , named for the former Queen of Canada . Aside from world leaders, the hotel also offers suites themed to Alfred Hitchcock , a director who filmed much of I Confess at the hotel; William Cornelius Van Horne , the second President of the Canadian Pacific Railway ; and Celine Dion . The Celine Dion Heritage Suite utilizes an Art Deco style throughout

3875-475: The Châteauesque -styled building has 18 floors; its 79.9-metre (262-foot) height is augmented by its 54-metre (177-foot) ground elevation. It is one of the first completed grand railway hotels , and was designated a National Historic Site of Canada in 1981. The hotel was expanded on three occasions, with the last major expansion taking place in 1993. The Château Frontenac is situated on 1, rue des Carrières, at

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4000-623: The Citadelle of Quebec began in 1820. The Americans did not attack Canada after the War of 1812, but the Citadelle continued to house a large British garrison until 1871. It is still in use by the military and is also a tourist attraction. Until the late 18th century Québec was the most populous city in present-day Canada. As of the census of 1790, Montreal surpassed it with 18,000 inhabitants, but Quebec, which had about 14,000 of population at that time, remained

4125-499: The Federal Trade Commission allows certain species of trees other than Swietenia to be sold as "mahoganies" in the U.S. timber trade. This is due to the long-standing usage of the terms. But it must be prefixed with another descriptor, and they are not allowed to be sold under the name "mahogany" alone. Two names are allowed. The first is "African mahogany" for the five species of the genus Khaya (which also belong to

4250-529: The shoot borer Hypsipyla grandella and similarly failed in Africa due to the attacks by the equivalent Hypsipyla robusta . After so many years of mismanagement and illegal logging, Swietenia also suffered from genetic loss thus mutating and weakening the seeds. Additionally erosion in its native locations meant seeds could no longer even be planted. However, both species grew well in Asia and Asia Pacific due to

4375-413: The 1800s, with many plantings becoming naturalized forests. All species of Swietenia are now listed by CITES and protected due to concerns over illegal logging and mismanagement. Mahogany species can crossbreed when they grow in proximity, and the hybrid between S. mahagoni and S. macrophylla is widely planted for timber. The history of the American mahogany trade dates back to the 17th century when

4500-462: The 1860s. Most mahogany was cut in the province of Tabasco and exported from a number of ports on the Gulf of Campeche , from Vera Cruz eastwards to Campeche and Sisal. By the end of the 19th century there was scarcely any part of Central America within reach of the coast untouched by logging, and activity also extended into Colombia, Venezuela, Peru and Brazil. Trade in American mahogany probably reached

4625-487: The 1980s into the 2000s, have diminished their use. Recent mahogany production from Mexico and Fiji has a lighter color and density than South American production from the early 20th century. Mahogany also resists wood rot, making it attractive in boat construction and outdoor decking. It is a tonewood , often used for musical instruments, particularly the backs, sides and necks of acoustic guitars, electric guitar bodies, and drum shells because of its ability to produce

4750-429: The 2011 Fellows – Royal Architectural Institute of Canada. Access to the hotel's main entrance is marked by several porte-cochères with large dormers and a cupola . The porte-cochère leads guests into the hotel's central courtyard, as well as the entrance to the hotel's main lobby. The building stands 80-metre-tall (260 ft), containing 18 floors primarily made up of guest rooms and other hotel amenities. After

4875-538: The 20th century various botanists attempted to further define S. macrophylla in South America as a new species, such as S. candollei Pittier and S. tessmannii Harms., but many authorities consider these spurious. According to Record and Hess, all of the mahogany of continental North and South America can be considered as one botanical species, Swietenia macrophylla King. Both major species of Swietenia were introduced in several countries outside of

5000-663: The Americas during the 1800s and early 1900s using seeds from South America and the Caribbean. Many of these plantings became naturalized forests over time. India had both S. macrophylla and S. mahagoni introduced in 1865 using seeds from West Indies. Both eventually became naturalized forests. Bangladesh had Honduran S. macrophylla introduced in 1872 and as with India it became naturalized in some areas. S. mahagoni and S. macrophylla were introduced in Indonesia in 1870 using seeds from India. S. macrophylla

5125-712: The Americas is geographically distinct. S. mahagoni grows on the West Indian islands as far north as the Bahamas, the Florida Keys and parts of Florida; S. humilis grows in the dry regions of the Pacific coast of Central America from south-western Mexico to Costa Rica; S. macrophylla grows in Central America from Yucatan southwards and into South America, extending as far as Peru, Bolivia and extreme western Brazil. In

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5250-452: The Americas. This immediately stimulated the trade in West Indian timbers including, most importantly, mahogany. Importations of mahogany into England (and excluding those to Scotland, which were recorded separately) reached 525 tons per annum by 1740, 3,688 tons by 1750, and more than 30,000 tons in 1788, the peak year of the 18th century trade. At the same time, the 1721 Act had the effect of substantially increasing exports of mahogany from

5375-631: The Botanic Gardens in Calcutta, India. Today, all species of Swietenia grown in their native locations are listed by CITES , and are therefore protected. After S. mahogani and S. macrophylla were added to CITES appendixes in 1992 and 1995 respectively international conservation programs began in earnest aided by a 1993 World Bank report entitled "Tropical Hardwood Marketing Strategies for Southeast Asia". Efforts to repopulate mahogany largely failed in its native locations due to attacks from

5500-515: The British governor general of Canada aimed at restoring the capital to its former 17th century look. One of the contributors to this project was Lord Dufferin , who supervised the construction of the old city wall and many public buildings that followed the theme of old, medieval, European Quebec. Dufferin also made a plan to reconstruct the Château Saint-Louis which was located on the cape where

5625-532: The Canadian Pacific Railway took control of the project. The Château Frontenac was completed in 1893, and was designed by American architect Bruce Price and overseen by William Van Horne , the Canadian Pacific Railway's general manager and a key developer of the Canadian railway hotel system. The hotel was a part of a series of Châteauesque-styled hotels built for the Canadian Pacific Railway company during

5750-560: The Château Frontenac currently stands and served as the home of the French governors from 1620 to 1834. Dufferin's plan did not take off until the City Council and the Board of Trade adopted the idea and planned to instead construct a grand hotel on the site to attract upper-class tourism to the area, but after failing to finance its construction, businessmen from Toronto and Montreal with connections to

5875-472: The Congo (1,315 persons or 1,315%), Haiti (1,120 persons or 2.5%), and Brazil (1,115 persons or 2.5%). The great majority of city residents are native French speakers. The English-speaking community peaked in relative terms during the 1860s, when 40% of Quebec City's residents were Anglophone . Today, native Anglophones make up only about 1.5% of the population of both the city and its metropolitan area. However,

6000-564: The English , but was successfully defended. In the last of the conflicts, the French and Indian War ( Seven Years' War ), Quebec was captured by the British in 1759, and held until the end of the war in 1763. In that time many battles and sieges took place: the Battle of Beauport , a French victory (31 July 1759); the Battle of the Plains of Abraham , in which British troops under General James Wolfe defeated

6125-517: The English seizing of French lands was illegal as the war had already ended, and worked to have them returned to France. As part of the ongoing negotiations following the end of the Anglo-French War, in 1632 the English king Charles I agreed to return captured lands in exchange for Louis XIII paying his wife's dowry . These terms were signed into law with the Treaty of Saint-Germain-en-Laye . The colonies of Canada and Acadia were returned to

6250-519: The FTC, are very close in terms of appearance and properties to true mahoganies. No other species are allowed to be sold in the United States under the name "mahogany", aside from the three Swietenia species and the aforementioned exceptions. Within the mahogany family, other closely-related members of other genera which also resemble mahoganies in terms of appearance and properties are also sometimes known as "mahoganies", though they can not be sold as such in

6375-465: The French Company of One Hundred Associates . In 1665, there were 550 people in 70 houses living in the city. One-quarter of the people were members of religious orders: secular priests, Jesuits, Ursulines nuns and the order running the local hospital, Hôtel-Dieu. Quebec was the headquarters of many raids against New England during the French and Indian Wars . In 1690 the city was attacked by

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6500-511: The French General Louis-Joseph de Montcalm on 13 September 1759, and shortly thereafter took the city after a short siege. A French counterattack saw a French victory at the Battle of Sainte-Foy (28 April 1760) but the subsequent second Siege of Quebec the following month however saw a final British victory. France ceded New France , including the city, to Britain in 1763, when the French and Indian War officially ended. At

6625-722: The Jamaican variety, and the trade remained sporadic until the 19th century. Another variety new to the market was Hispaniola mahogany, also called 'Spanish' and 'St Domingo' mahogany. This was the result of the Free Ports Act of 1766, which opened Kingston and other designated Jamaican ports to foreign vessels for the first time. The object was primarily to encourage importations of cotton from French plantations in Saint Domingue , but quantities of high quality mahogany were also shipped. These were then forwarded to Britain, where they entered

6750-477: The Saint Lawrence River which gave rise to industries of wooden sailing ships manufacture, export of squared timber logs . to Europe, as wall as associated enterprises such as sawmills . However, by the 1870s, Québec City entered a period of economic decline. Contributing factors included the rise of steel-hulled steamships, the expansion of railroads at the expense of waterways for continental commerce;

6875-505: The US timber trade. This includes some members of the genus Toona , namely: "Philippine mahogany" ( Toona calantas , different from the above usage); "Indian mahogany" ( Toona ciliata ); "Chinese mahogany" ( Toona sinensis ); and Indonesian mahogany ( Toona sureni );. However members of this genus are more usually known as "toons" or "red cedars." They have similar properties to true mahoganies but differ in appearance. Other species in

7000-460: The West Indies to the British colonies in North America. Although initially regarded as a joinery wood, mahogany rapidly became the timber of choice for makers of high quality furniture in both the British Isles and the 13 colonies of North America. Until the 1760s over 90 per cent of the mahogany imported into Britain came from Jamaica. Some of this was re-exported to continental Europe, but most

7125-500: The absence of these shoot borers and absence of other limitations. Plantation management progressed throughout the 1990s and 2000s in Asia and the South Pacific. Global supply of genuine mahogany has been increasing from these plantations, notably Fiji, and Philippines. For Swietenia macrophylla , the trees in these plantations are still relatively young compared to the trees being harvested from old growth forests in South America. Thus,

7250-494: The addition of the tallest tower in 1924, the hotel became the tallest building in Quebec City . It remained the city's tallest building until 1930, when the Édifice Price was completed just northwest of the hotel. Although several buildings in Quebec City are taller, the hotel continues to hold a prominent position in the city's skyline, as it is perched atop a tall cape overlooking the Saint Lawrence River. The Château Frontenac includes 610 guest rooms and suites spread throughout

7375-520: The administrative capital of the former New France. It was then made the capital of Lower Canada by the Constitutional Act of 1791 . From 1841 to 1867, the capital of the Province of Canada rotated between Kingston , Montreal , Toronto , Ottawa and Quebec City (from 1851 to 1855 and from 1859 to 1865). The city experienced an economic golden age in the 1800s, due to its favorable location on

7500-439: The aforementioned Shorea species which does actually come close to true mahogany in terms of appearance and properties. But it also includes other species which do not resemble true mahogany at all and have very different wood properties, like the "Santos mahogany" ( Myroxylon balsamum ), "mountain mahogany" ( Cercocarpus spp.), and "swamp mahogany" ( Eucalyptus robusta ). The natural distribution of these species within

7625-592: The atop Cap Diamant , an elevated point of the promontory. The Citadelle serves as an active military installation for the Canadian Armed Forces , as well as a secondary official residence for the Canadian monarch and the Governor General of Canada . East of the hotel lies the Terrasse Dufferin, and Old Quebec's Lower Town directly below it. The Château Frontenac was not the first large building on

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7750-542: The city from the province by referring to the former as Quebec City. According to the Government of Canada, the Government of Quebec, and the Geographical Names Board of Canada, the names of Canadian cities and towns have only one official form. Thus, Québec is officially spelled with an accented é in both Canadian English and French . However, province names can have different forms in English and French. As

7875-491: The city's Citadel in 1871, contributed to the exodus of English speaking populations, such as local bourgeoisie of Scottish origin or workers of Irish background, to Montreal in the second half of the 19th century. Anglophones made up approximately 40% of the city's population in 1861, but 16% in 1901. Before the Royal Military College of Canada was established in 1876, the only French-speaking officer training school

8000-447: The construction of new offices and condos. Northern sections (Loretteville, Val-Bélair) and eastern sections (Beauport, Charlesbourg) are mostly a mix of middle-class residential suburbs with industrial pockets. In the 2021 Census of Population conducted by Statistics Canada , Québec had a population of 549,459 living in 265,711 of its 283,219 total private dwellings, a change of 3.3% from its 2016 population of 531,902 . With

8125-479: The depletion of forest resources near major rivers upstream of Québec City and in the west of the province, which were transported to Québec's port by log driving ; the construction of locks on the Saint Lawrence Seaway , opening up trade routes to the U.S. from Montreal; and the city's inability to retain immigrant populations. This unfavourable context, coupled with the departure of the British army from

8250-414: The eastern edge of Old Quebec 's Upper Town, built on the promontory of Quebec , a raised mass of land that projects into the Saint Lawrence River . The hotel property is bounded by rue Saint Louis to the north, and rue Mont Carmel to the south. Terrasse Dufferin is a terrace that wraps around the hotel from the northeast to the southeast, overlooking the Saint Lawrence River. Two public roads run through

8375-492: The end of French rule, Quebec was a town of 8,000 inhabitants, surrounded by forests, villages, fields and pastures. The town was distinguished by its monumental architecture, fortifications, and affluent homes of masonry and shacks in the suburbs of Saint-Jean and Saint-Roch. Despite its urbanity and its status as capital, Quebec remained a small city with close ties to its rural surroundings. Nearby inhabitants traded their farm surpluses and firewood for imported goods from France at

8500-468: The first time. From the 1820s mahogany from all these areas was imported into Europe and North America, with the majority of them going to Britain. In Central America British loggers moved northwest towards Mexico and south into Guatemala. Other areas of Central America as far south as Panama also began to be exploited. The most important new development was the beginning of large scale logging in Mexico from

8625-564: The headquarters of a variety of prominent companies, including: fashion retailer La Maison Simons , engineering firms BPR and Norda Stelo ; Cominar real estate investment trust; Beneva , Industrial Alliance , Promutuel, and Union Canadienne in the insurance sector; Beenox , Gearbox Software , Frima Studio , Sarbakan and Ubisoft in the computer games industry; AeternaZentaris and DiagnoCure in pharmaceuticals; Amalgame, Cossette and Vision 7 in marketing and advertising; Institut National d'Optique (INO) , EXFO, OptoSecurity in technology. It

8750-413: The high humidity, create a high heat index that belies the average high of 22–25 °C (72–77 °F) and lows of 11–13 °C (52–55 °F). Winters are cold, windy and snowy with average high temperatures −5 to −8 °C (23 to 18 °F) and lows −13 to −18 °C (9 to 0 °F). Spring and fall, although short, bring chilly to warm temperatures. Late heat waves as well as " Indian summers " are

8875-709: The hill, the Saint Lawrence Lowlands is flat and has rich, arable soil. Past this valley, the Laurentian Mountains lie to the north of the city but its foothills are within the municipal limits. The Plains of Abraham are located on the southeastern extremity of the plateau, where high stone walls were integrated during colonial days. On the northern foot of the promontory, the lower town neighbourhoods of Saint-Roch and Saint-Sauveur , traditionally working class, are separated from uptown's Saint-Jean-Baptiste and Saint-Sacrement  [ fr ] by

9000-561: The hotel building, and has a perforated edge and is 13.5mm square. Printed by Ashton-Potter Limited. In 2001, the hotel was sold to Legacy REIT, which is partially owned by Fairmont, for $ 185 million. The hotel was renamed the Fairmont Le Château Frontenac in November 2001, shortly after Canadian Pacific Hotels reformed itself as Fairmont Hotels and Resorts , taking the name of an American company it acquired in 2001. In 2011,

9125-765: The hotel building. Eight executive suites were renovated into specialty "themed rooms". Most of the suites are themed to the heads of state and government that have visited the hotel, such as the Trudeau-Trudeau Suite, named after two Canadian Prime Ministers , Pierre Elliott Trudeau , and Justin Trudeau . The Churchill Suite and Roosevelt Suite are two suites named after attendees of the First and Second Quebec Conferences , British Prime Minister Winston Churchill and American President Franklin D. Roosevelt , respectively. Other suites themed in honour of world leaders include

9250-492: The hotel is largely made of grey stone ashlar , with steel framing running up the building, Glenboig brick cladding. Materials that make up the interior of the building includes mahogany panelling, marble staircases, carved stone, wrought iron, and glass roundels. However, as opposed to the other Châteauesque-styled buildings found in France, the Château Frontenac did not utilize elements of Italianate architecture , instead placing

9375-407: The hotel was sold to Ivanhoé Cambridge . Shortly after acquiring the hotel, Ivanhoé Cambridge announced an investment of $ 9 million for the restoration of the building's masonry work, and the replacement of the building's copper roofs. The company further announced another $ 66 million investment for general improvements and renovations throughout the hotel. When the roof was being replaced, an image of

9500-510: The hotel's rooftop garden . The honey is harvested three times a year and is used by the hotel's restaurants. The hotel has nearly 70,000 honey bees producing 295 kilograms (650 lb) of honey per year. The hotel's rooftop apiary also operates a pollinator hotel . The Château was the recipient of the 2022 Global Hotel of the Year Award. In the 1870s, a restoration project began in Quebec under

9625-507: The hotel, one in 1908–09, and another in 1920–24 (co-led with his brother, Edward Maxwell ). Renovations in the 1990s were led by one of Canada's most successful firms, Arcop , an architectural firm based in Montreal . The hotel was again expanded in 1993, with the addition of a new wing, which was led by a then young architect who is now one of the most respected architects in the hotel and hospitality business in Canada, Robert LaPierre, Member of

9750-581: The hotel, rue du Trésor, and rue des Carrières. The hotel building was designated as a National Historic Site of Canada , known as the Château Frontenac National Historic Site of Canada. The area was designated as a National Historic Site in January 1981. Located near the edge of the promontory of Quebec, the Château Frontenac is situated near several major historic attractions within the historic district of Old Quebec 's Upper Town. To

9875-414: The illegal trade of bigleaf mahogany continues apace. In the 17th century, the buccaneer Alexandre Exquemelin recorded the use of mahogany or Caoba (Cedrela being the Spanish name) on Hispaniola for making canoes: "The Indians make these canoes without the use of any iron instruments, by only burning the trees at the bottom near the root, and afterwards governing the fire with such industry that nothing

10000-478: The largest consumer. By the late 19th century, African mahogany began to dominate the market, and by the early 20th century, the supply of American mahogany became scarcer. In response to concerns about the sustainability of mahogany, several species have been placed on CITES Appendices to regulate the trade. Mahogany is known for its straight, fine grain and durability, making it a popular choice for fine furniture, boat construction, and musical instruments. However,

10125-449: The late 19th and early 20th centuries. The last of the Canadian Pacific Railway's Châteauesque hotels was completed in 1908, leaving the rival company Grand Trunk Railway to continue the trend. The hotel was expanded in 1924 to designs by William Sutherland Maxwell. The 1924 expansion saw the addition of the hotel's central tower, which was built by Anglin-Norcross of Montreal. The hotel was named after Louis de Buade, Count of Frontenac , who

10250-669: The local trees of the Swietenia genus as m'oganwo , which developed into the Portuguese term mogano , which first appeared in print as the name of a river in 1661, before finally developing into the English mahogany in Jamaica between 1655 and 1670. Malone criticized this etymology, arguing that the proposed metamorphosis from the Yoruba m'oganwo to the Portuguese mogano to the English mahogany

10375-755: The mahogany family), namely: K. anthotheca , K. grandifoliola , K. ivorensis , K. madagascariensis , and K. senegalensis . All of them are native to native to Africa and Madagascar . The second is the name "Philippine mahogany" for seven species (all native to the Philippines ) in the genus Shorea and Parashorea (which are unrelated dipterocarps , more commonly known as "lauan" or "meranti"), namely: S. polysperma , S. negrosensis , S. contorta , S. ovata , S. almon , S. palosapis , and P. malaanonan . The timber from both "African mahoganies" and "Philippine mahoganies" as defined by

10500-421: The mahogany trade began to change significantly. During the occupation of Havana by British forces between August 1762 and July 1763, quantities of Cuban or Havanna mahogany were sent to Britain, and after the city was restored to Spain in 1763, Cuba continued to export small quantities, mostly to ports on the north coast of Jamaica, from where it went to Britain. However, this mahogany was regarded as inferior to

10625-511: The mahogany was regarded as one species, although varying in quality and character according to soil and climate. In 1836 the German botanist Joseph Gerhard Zuccarini (1797–1848) identified a second species while working on specimens collected on the Pacific coast of Mexico, and named it Swietenia humilis . In 1886 a third species, Swietenia macrophylla , was named by Sir George King (1840–1909) after studying specimens of Honduras mahogany planted in

10750-418: The majority of the first two floors of Price's designs. The original proposal called for a square structure, however the completion of the Terrasse Dufferin led to the development for a more picturesque building. Since its completion, the hotel has undergone several major expansions and renovations led by several different architects and architectural firms. William Sutherland Maxwell led two major expansions to

10875-463: The market in the late 1760s. In terms of quantity, the most significant new addition to the mahogany trade was Honduras mahogany, also called 'baywood', after the Bay of Honduras. British settlers had been active in southern Yucatan since the beginning of the 18th century, despite the opposition of the Spanish, who claimed sovereignty over all of Central America. Their main occupation was cutting logwood ,

11000-476: The name of the latter remained the same as the historical town ( French : ville ) or parish municipality it replaced. Neighbourhoods each elect their own council, whose powers rest in public consultations . Compared to many other cities in North America, there is less variation between average household incomes between the neighbourhoods. However, some disparities exist. The southwest former cities of Sillery , Cap-Rouge and Sainte-Foy are considered to be

11125-400: The name used by the Yoruba and Ibo people of West Africa to describe trees of the genus Khaya , which is closely related to Swietenia . When transported to Jamaica as slaves, they gave the same name to the similar trees they saw there. Though this interpretation has been disputed, no one has suggested a more plausible origin. The indigenous Arawak name for the tree is not known. In 1671

11250-532: The newly created province of Quebec. During World War II, two conferences were held in Quebec City. The First Quebec Conference was held in 1943 with Franklin D. Roosevelt (President of the United States), Winston Churchill (Prime Minister of the United Kingdom), William Lyon Mackenzie King (Prime Minister of Canada) and T. V. Soong (minister of foreign affairs of China ). The Second Quebec Conference

11375-608: The northeast of the hotel lies the Ursulines Monastery of Quebec , a 17th-century monastery founded by a missionary group of Ursuline nuns, and another National Historic Site of Canada. To the south of the hotel lies the Plains of Abraham , a historic area within The Battlefields Park , and the site of the Battle of the Plains of Abraham . Another major attraction south of the hotel is the Citadelle of Quebec , situated at

11500-475: The only genuine mahogany species commercially grown today. Mahogany is a valuable lumber used for paneling, furniture, boats, musical instruments, and other items. The United States is the leading importer of mahogany, while Peru is the largest exporter. Mahogany is the national tree of the Dominican Republic and Belize. Swietenia species have been introduced in various countries outside the Americas since

11625-558: The over-harvesting of mahogany and environmental concerns have led to a decrease in its use. The etymology of mahogany is uncertain and a subject of debate. The term first appeared in John Ogilby 's "America" (1671), referring to a "curious and rich wood" from Jamaica . Initial mentions of the mahogany tree (as opposed to wood) date to 1731, with its first detailed description in 1743, attributed to Swietenia mahagoni by Kemp Malone in 1940. Malone suggested that mahogany originated as

11750-514: The price of mahogany was still high after the war, and so the cutters turned to cutting mahogany. The first Honduras mahogany arrived in Kingston, Jamaica, in November 1763, and the first shipments arrived in Britain the following year. By the 1790s most of the viable stocks of mahogany in Jamaica had been cut, and the market was divided between two principal sources or types of mahogany. Honduras mahogany

11875-497: The province , and many suburbs of the north shore of the Saint-Lawrence were merged into Quebec City, taking the form of boroughs , thus constituting the boundary of present-day Québec City. In 2008 the city celebrated its 400th anniversary and was gifted funds for festivities and construction projects by provincial and federal governments, as well as public artwork by various entities, including foreign countries. Quebec City

12000-536: The quantities were not large. The most significant third source was Black River and adjacent areas on the Mosquito Coast (now Republic of Honduras ), from where quantities of mahogany were shipped from the 1740s onwards. This mahogany was known as 'Rattan mahogany', after the island of Ruatan , which was the main offshore entrepot for the British settlers in the area. At the end of the Seven Years' War (1756–63),

12125-489: The roof was printed on polypropylene safety netting and hung from scaffolding to hide the refurbishing project from view. The extensive renovation saw conference rooms expanded, restaurants remodeled, modernization of the lobby, and the gutting and rebuilding of three-fifths of the hotel's rooms. It was used for a location in the television crime drama series La Faille ' s second season, also known as The Wall: The Chateau Murder (2021). Quebec City Quebec City

12250-537: The same family sometimes known as "mahoganies" include "Indian mahogany" ( Chukrasia velutina , different from T. ciliata ); "sipo mahogany" ( Entandrophragma utile ); "sapele mahogany" ( Entandrophragma cylindricum ); "royal mahogany" ( Carapa guianensis ); "white mahogany" ( Turraeanthus africanus ); " New Zealand mahogany" ( Dysoxylum spectabile ); "pink mahogany" ( Guarea spp.); and "demerara mahogany" ( Carapa guianensis ). Multiple other unrelated species are also known as "mahogany". These include

12375-522: The site. The first one was built during the 1780s, and was known as the Château Haldimand , named after the Governor of Quebec who ordered its construction. It was demolished in 1892 to make way for the present hotel. The Château Frontenac is one of Canada's grand railway hotels built by the Canadian Pacific Railway . The Châteauesque architectural style used throughout the hotel would later serve as

12500-436: The suite, decorated with images from Dion's family photographer. A number of rooms at the Château Frontenac are also occupied by restaurants and other food-based services. As of 2018, three restaurants operate within the hotel: 1608 Wine and Cheese Bar , Bistro Le Sam , and Champlain . As a part of Fairmont Hotels and Resorts ' larger "Bee Sustainable" program, the Château Frontenac hosts four queen honey bees in hives on

12625-495: The summer tourist season and the Quebec Winter Carnival attract significant numbers of Anglophone (as well as Francophone ) visitors, and English can often be heard in areas frequented by tourists. In 2021, according to Statistics Canada, 90.6% of Quebec City's population spoke French as their sole mother tongue. More than a third of city residents reported being capable of speaking both French and English. According to

12750-523: The two city markets. During the American Revolution , revolutionary troops from the southern colonies assaulted the British garrison in the city in the hope that the peoples of Quebec would rise and join the American Revolution so that Canada would join the Continental Congress , along with the other British colonies of continental North America. The American invasion failed, however, and

12875-496: The war resulted in a permanent split of British North America into two entitles: the newly independent United States of America , and those colonies (including Quebec) that remained under British control, which would later become the country of Canada . The city itself was not attacked during the War of 1812 , when the United States again attempted to annex Canadian lands. Amid fears of another American attack on Quebec City, construction of

13000-484: The wealthiest, along with some parts of Montcalm and Old Quebec. The city's traditional working-class areas are found in the lower town below Old Quebec (Saint-Sauveur and Saint-Roch) and directly across the Saint-Charles River to the north (Vanier and Limoilou). However, parts of Limoilou, Saint-Sauveur and particularly Saint-Roch have seen gentrification in the last 20 years, attracting young professionals and

13125-609: The wettest season. During winter, snow generally stays on the ground from the end of November till mid-April. The highest temperature ever recorded in Quebec City was 36.1 °C (97.0 °F) on 17 July 1953. The coldest temperature ever recorded was −36.7 °C (−34.1 °F) on 10 January 1890 and 14 January 2015. On 1 January 2002, the 12 former towns of Sainte-Foy , Beauport , Charlesbourg , Sillery , Loretteville , Val-Bélair , Cap-Rouge , Saint-Émile , Vanier , L'Ancienne-Lorette , Saint-Augustin-de-Desmaures and Lac-Saint-Charles were annexed by Quebec City. This

13250-718: The wood to a limited extent from about 1700. On the English-controlled islands, especially Jamaica and the Bahamas , mahogany was abundant but not exported in any quantity before 1700. While the trade in mahogany from the Spanish and French territories in America remained moribund for most of the 18th century, this was not true for those islands under British control. In 1721 the British Parliament removed all import duties from timber imported into Britain from British possessions in

13375-416: The wood was first noticed by Europeans during the Spanish colonization of the Americas. Mahogany became more popular in the 18th century when the British Parliament removed import duties on timber from British possessions , leading to increased exports to Europe and North America. Throughout the 18th and 19th centuries, mahogany from various regions was imported into Europe and North America, with Britain being

13500-488: The wood was increasingly fashionable, obtained most of their wood from Britain. The French Revolution of 1789 and the wars that followed radically changed the mahogany trade, primarily due to the progressive collapse of the French and Spanish colonial empires, which allowed British traders into areas previously closed to them. Saint Domingue became the independent republic of Haiti, and from 1808, Spanish controlled Santo Domingo and Cuba were both open to British vessels for

13625-434: The wood, was principally reserved for shipbuilding, and it was declared a royal monopoly at Havana in 1622. Hence very little of the mahogany growing in Spanish controlled territory found its way to Europe. After the French established a colony in Saint Domingue (now Haiti ), some mahogany from that island probably found its way to France, where joiners in the port cities of Saint-Malo, Nantes, La Rochelle and Bordeaux used

13750-404: The word mahogany appeared in print for the first time, in John Ogilby 's America . Among botanists and naturalists, however, the tree was considered a type of cedar, and in 1759 was classified by Carl Linnaeus (1707–1778) as Cedrela mahagoni . The following year it was assigned to a new genus by Nicholas Joseph Jacquin (1727–1817), and named Swietenia mahagoni . Until the 19th century all of

13875-546: Was 159,830 tons, of which 121,743 tons were from West Africa. By this time mahogany from Cuba, Haiti and other West Indian sources had become increasingly difficult to obtain in commercial sizes, and by the late 20th century Central American and even South American mahogany was heading in a similar direction. In 1975 S. humilis was placed on CITES Appendix II (a list of species that would be in danger of extinction without strict regulation) followed by S. mahagoni in 1992. The most abundant species, S. macrophylla ,

14000-567: Was a logical and linguistic stretch relying on the conversion of the singular oganwo to the collective m'oganwo , which Malone finds unlikely considering the tree's generally solitary nature. He also argues that Lamb's earliest identified use of the Portuguese mog(a)no , which is for a river that Lamb asserts must have been so named for the mahogany oganwo trees on its banks, could just as well have been named for any tall tree, since oganwo only means tall . Lamb, in turn, criticized Malone's methodology and perceived bias, and maintained that there

14125-432: Was built on the north bank of the Saint Lawrence River , where it narrows and meets the mouth of the Saint-Charles River . Old Quebec is located on top and at the foot of Cap-Diamant , which is on the eastern edge of a plateau called the promontory of Quebec (Quebec hill). Because of this topographic feature, the oldest and most urbanized borough of La Cité-Limoilou can be divided into upper and lower town. North of

14250-399: Was founded by Samuel de Champlain , a French explorer and diplomat, on 3 July 1608, and at the site of a long abandoned St. Lawrence Iroquoian settlement called Stadacona . Champlain, who came to be called "The Father of New France ", served as its administrator for the rest of his life. The name "Canada" was given to the colony that developed around the settlement at Quebec. Although

14375-465: Was held in 1944 and was attended by Churchill and Roosevelt. They took place in the buildings of the Citadelle and at the nearby Château Frontenac . A large part of the D-Day landing plans were made during those meetings. Until 2002, Quebec was a mostly urbanized city and its territory coterminous with today's borough of La Cité-Limoilou . The Government of Quebec then mandated a municipal reorganization in

14500-454: Was included in plantation forests planted in Indonesia from the 1920s to the 1940s. Philippines had S. macrophylla introduced in 1907 and in 1913 as well as S. mahagoni in 1911, 1913, 1914, 1920 and 1922. Planting resumed in the late 1980s. It was planted with many other exotic tree species for the purpose of reforestation. S. macrophylla was planted in Sri Lanka in 1897 but it

14625-622: Was left unmanaged until the 1950s when reforestation efforts initiated by the Sri Lankan government led to plantations being consciously developed. In the early 1900s S. mahagoni was planted on the islands of O'ahu and Maui in Hawaii but was neglected and became naturalized forests. Additionally, S. macrophylla was planted in 1922 on O'ahu and is now naturalized. Fiji had S. macrophylla introduced originally in 1911 as an ornamental species using seeds from Honduras and Belize. Fiji has become

14750-538: Was one of several municipal mergers which took place across Quebec on that date. Following a demerger referendum, L'Ancienne-Lorette and Saint-Augustin-de-Desmaures were reconstituted as separate municipalities on 1 January 2006, but the other former municipalities remain part of Quebec City. On 1 November 2009, Quebec City re-organized its boroughs, reducing the number from 8 to 6. Quebec City's six boroughs ( French : arrondissements ) are further divided into 35 neighbourhoods ( French : quartiers ). In most cases,

14875-417: Was placed on Appendix III in 1995 and moved to Appendix II in 2003. Mahogany has a straight, fine, and even grain, and is relatively free of voids and pockets. Its reddish-brown color darkens over time, and displays a reddish sheen when polished. It has excellent workability, and is very durable. Historically, the tree's girth allowed for wide boards from traditional mahogany species. These properties make it

15000-480: Was relatively cheap, plentiful, but rarely of the best quality. Hispaniola (also called Spanish or Santo Domingo) mahogany was the wood of choice for high quality work. Data are lacking, but it is likely that the newly independent United States now received a good proportion of its mahogany from Cuba. In the last quarter of the 18th century France began to use mahogany more widely; they had ample supplies of high quality wood from Saint Domingue. The rest of Europe, where

15125-537: Was the Governor General of New France from 1672 to 1682, and again from 1689 to 1698. The World War II Allies met there during the First and Second Quebec Conference (in 1943 and 1944 respectively). During these conferences, officials including American President Franklin Delano Roosevelt , British Prime Minister Sir Winston Churchill , and Canadian Prime Minister William Lyon Mackenzie King , discussed strategy for World War II . In 1953, this hotel

15250-521: Was the Indo-Australian greenhouse, which initially cost $ 14 million to build. It featured fauna and flora from regions surrounding the Indian Ocean . Mahogany Mahogany is wood from any of three tree species: Honduran or big-leaf mahogany ( Swietenia macrophylla ), West Indian or Cuban mahogany ( Swietenia mahagoni ), and Swietenia humilis . Honduran mahogany is the most widespread and

15375-565: Was the Quebec City School of Military Instruction, founded in 1864. The school was retained at Confederation, in 1867. In 1868, The School of Artillery was formed in Montreal. The Quebec Conference on Canadian Confederation was held in the city in 1864. In 1867, Queen Victoria chose Ottawa as the definite capital of the Dominion of Canada, while Quebec City was confirmed as the capital of

15500-516: Was used as the filming location for the final scene in Alfred Hitchcock's film I Confess , featuring Montgomery Clift and Anne Baxter . In 1993, the hotel saw another expansion, with the addition of the new wing that included a pool, fitness centre, and outdoor terrace. On June 14, 1993, Canada Post issued 'Le Château Frontenac, Québec' designed by Kosta Tsetsekas, based on illustrations by Heather Price. The $ C 0.43 stamp features an image of

15625-522: Was used by British furniture makers. Quantities of Jamaican mahogany also went to the North American colonies, but most of the wood used in American furniture came from the Bahamas . This was sometimes called Providence wood, after the main port of the islands, but more often madera or madeira , which was the West Indian name for mahogany. In addition to Jamaica and Bahamas, all the British controlled islands exported some mahogany at various times, but

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