Anglican Cathedral of the Holy Trinity

La cathédrale anglicane Holy Trinity et Place d'Armes, Québec Credit: Library and Archives Canada, accession number C-000825, Millicent Mary Chaplin Fonds

In 1989, the Historic Sites and Monuments Board of Canada (HSMBC) recognized Holy Trinity Anglican Cathedral as a place of national historic significance for its historical and architectural values.

One of the first Anglican cathedrals to be built outside the British Isles, Holy Trinity gave expression to a royal wish to mark the establishment of the Church of England in Canada. This is why King George III, Head of the Church, donated religious objects and why a special pew was kept for him in the cathedral. This is also why the cathedral was built on a prominent spot in the colony’s capital: its monumental appearance makes it a focal point in Upper Town, and the spire was long the tallest structure in Québec City. The chosen site was close to the Récollets Chapel, used for Anglican services from the Conquest until it burnt down in 1796. Construction of Holy Trinity complemented the work of enlarging and redeveloping Place d’Armes.

Built between 1800 and 1804, the cathedral introduced to Canada the British Palladian style of architecture. The architects were William Robe and William Hall, both military officers. They took as their model London’s Church of St. Martin-in-the-Fields, completed in 1726, but they adapted and simplified the design. The grey stone cathedral is rectangular in layout. The nave is divided lengthwise into three, giving two side galleries. There is also an auditorium. This is an elegant example of Palladian architecture, as seen in the pediment, the archway and the Ionic pilasters. It is a brilliant creation that has remained largely intact and had a great influence on Canadian architecture, notably the work of François Baillairgé.