The Battlefields Park

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An artillery piece on display at The Battlefields Park

The Battlefields Park includes the Plains of Abraham with Des Braves Park, both within Quebec City, and forms one of the few Canadian national urban parks. Its significance lies in the Battle of the Plains of Abraham, the British victory over France, which decided the development of Canada. Established as a park by law on March 17, 1908, it features an interpretive centre and walking trails, and is sometimes used for outdoor concerts, especially during the national festival events . The park contains a collection of about 50 historical artillery pieces scattered about its grounds. It is managed by the National Battlefields Commission, a federal government agency under the Minister of Canadian Heritage with members appointed by the Queen's Privy Council, Ontario and Quebec.

[edit] Martello Towers

Martello Tower 1

Built by the British to prevent the Americans from drawing close enough to lay siege to the walls of Quebec, the four Martello towers were begun by James Craig in 1808 and completed in 1812. The towers were arranged to provide for each other's defense, and were numbered rather than named. The rounded shape and limited openings of the tower was designed to prevent the enemy fire from breaking through.

Martello Tower door

The doors to the tower are at a height of two and a half times the height of a man - about 4.5 meters - and could only be reached by a removable ladder. The towers were never tested in battle, and became obsolete in the 1860's.

Using the theme of military engineering, Martello Tower 1, one of three remaining towers in the park, is open for visitors to view its three floors.

The Martellos were originally fitted with removable roofs, which were dangerous to remove. 1 man died each time the roof was removed. The roofs were later replaced with newer permanent ones which look almost the same.