1886 – Hôtel du Parlement, Quebec City, Quebec

The Parliament Building (Hôtel du Parlement) is home to the Parliament of Quebec composed of the Lieutenant-Governor and the National Assembly. The building was designed by architect Eugène-Étienne Taché and was built from 1877 to 1886.

Inspired by the Louvre – the building most representative of Second Empire style architecture, Taché’s imposing work is almost unique in North America. The Second Empire style was popular for prestigious public buildings both in Europe and the United States during the second half of the nineteenth century.

Quebec City’s Parliament Building bears a definite likeness to the Philadelphia City Hall, another Second Empire landmark in North America which was built during the same period. The architectural style is unique among parliament buildings found in other Canadian provincial capitals which are largely neo-classical in style, with some original Second Empire style buildings replaced in the early 20th century.
The central tower stands at 52 metres or 171 feet in height. The facade features a pantheon representing significant events and people in the history of Quebec.