Description of Historic Place

Martello Tower 4 sits on the edge of the Sainte-Geneviève hillside in an urban, residential area of Québec. The low, round, sturdy tower of brick and stone construction features an encircling terrace at its top and a protective pierced parapet. The designation is confined to the footprint of the building.

Heritage Value

Martello Tower 4 is a Recognized Federal Heritage Building because of its historical associations, and its architectural and environmental value.

Historical Value
Martello Tower 4 is one of four constructed and is one of the best examples of a building associated with a period of strong military development to strengthen Québec’s key strategic role in defending British North America from water borne attack. These military improvements were brought to the city by the Royal Engineers at the beginning of the 19th century, and the structure was constructed to form a first line of defense within the ensemble of the fortifications of Québec.

Architectural Value
Martello Tower 4 is of value for its good aesthetic design. As well it has very good functional qualities, primarily in its adaptation of a British coastal defense model to inland warfare. This was achieved through excellent craftsmanship found in the technical execution of the masonry construction as evidenced in the walls of greatest thickness, the vaulted ground floor designed to enclose a powder magazine, and the encircling terrace with a protective pierced parapet to provide for both surveillance and mounting artillery.

Environmental Value
Martello Tower 4 provides important symbolic references to Canada’s military past and reinforces the historic, 19th-century military character of its urban hillside setting in Québec. The tower is a neighborhood landmark in the area.

Sources: Yvon Desloges, Les Tours Martello de Québec, Québec, Québec, Federal Heritage Buildings Review Office, Building Report, 89-053; Martello Tower #4, Québec City, Québec, Heritage Character Statement, 89-053.

Character-Defining Elements

The following character-defining elements of Martello Tower 4 should be respected.

Its good aesthetic design, very good functional design and excellent materials and craftsmanship, for example: the low, sturdy massing; the encircling terrace and protective, pierced parapet; the vaulted ground floor designed to enclose a powder magazine and to support soldiers’ lodging above; the walls of high quality brick and stone construction with ventilation channels and whose thickness greatens towards the direction of expected attack; the stairway designed to provide infantry with protected access.

The manner in which Martello Tower 4 reinforces the historic, military character of its urban hillside setting in Québec and is a neighbourhood landmark, as evidenced by: its specialized military design, low scale, massing and sturdy construction, which harmonizes with its residential surroundings on the hillside in the historic district of the City; its association with, and symbolic references to, Canada’s military past which makes it a destination for visitors and a local landmark.

Heritage Character Statement

Disclaimer - The heritage character statement was developed by FHBRO to explain the reasons for the designation of a federal heritage building and what it is about the building that makes it significant (the heritage character). It is a key reference document for anyone involved in planning interventions to federal heritage buildings and is used by FHBRO in their review of interventions.

Martello Tower #4, at Quebec City, was built between 1808 and 1812 to plans prepared by Ralph Henry Bruyère of the Royal Engineers. It has been the property of the Commission des champs de bataille nationaux since 1910. See FHBRO Building Report 89-53.

Reasons for Designation

Martello Tower #4 was designated Recognized for its historic associations, its architectural importance and its environmental significance.

The tower is one of four constructed to form a first line of defence within the ensemble of the fortifications of Quebec. Their construction constituted an important phase in the military improvements brought to the city by the Royal Engineers at the beginning of the 19th century, during a period of strong military development to strengthen Quebec's key strategic role in defending British North America from water-borne attack.

The architectural significance of the tower lies primarily in its adaptation of a British coastal defence model to inland warfare and the quality of the technical execution of the masonry construction.

The environmental importance of tower #4 recalls the limits of Quebec's 19th century urban aspirations and provides important symbolic references to Canada's military past.

Character-defining Elements

The architectural character of the tower resides as much in its stone and brick construction as in the organization of its external and internal spaces. The vaulted ground floor was designed to enclose a powder magazine and to support soldiers' lodging above; the walls, of greatest thickness facing the direction of expected attack, contained both a stairway designed to provide infantry with protected access to the field of battle, and ventilation channels to the outside. Above, an encircling terrace and protective parapet provided for both visual surveillance and mounting artillery. Uniquely tower #4's parapets were pierced to permit simultaneous rifle discharge of two soldiers, aligned front, and back.

Changes of use over time have not impaired the integrity of the structure. Future repairs should endeavour equally to maintain the integrity of the original spaces and the quality of the original masonry work.