Description of Historic Place

The Former Caponiere, also known as Building 45, is located at the south end of the ditch separating the Quebec Citadel’s Prince of Wales Bastion from the men’s quarters. The two walls and small turret on the middle of its gable-roof as the only visible elements of this small stone building. It is integrated with the ramparts and pierced with loopholes. The designation is confined to the footprint of the building.

Heritage Value

Building 45, is a Classified Federal Heritage Building because of its historical associations, and its architectural and environmental value.

Historical Value
Building 45, is one of the best examples illustrating the defence of British North America against the constant threat of invasion by the United States. The Former Caponiere is also strongly associated with the development of Québec City as the Citadel had a major impact on the civilian administration during the last century.

Architectural Value
Building No. 45, is a very good example of a British military defence building with excellent functional design and high quality craftsmanship. It is distinguished by its functional, solid masonry construction.

The Environmental Value
Designed mostly underground to blend in visually with the fortifications, the Caponiere is strategically situated at the south end of the ditch separating the Prince of Wales Bastion from the men’s quarters. Its materials and design harmonize well with and reinforces the historical military character of its fortress setting.

Sources:
Rhona Godspeed, The Citadel, Québec, Québec, Federal Heritage Building Report 89-163; Former Caponiere, Building No.45, The Citadel, Québec, Québec, Heritage Character Statement, 89-163.

Character-Defining Elements

The character defining elements of Building 45 should be respected.

Its functional, defensive military design and high quality craftsmanship and materials such as: its two visible stone walls laid in regular courses with pierced loopholes and integrated with the ramparts and its sheet metal clad gable roof with a small turret in the middle designed to prevent people from moving around; the bomb-proof vaulted interior shooting range with walls of evenly-coursed limestone which is accessed through a long tunnel; its doors and iron elements.

The manner in which Building 45 reinforces the historical defensive military character of its fort setting located in the Québec Citadel.

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.

The Former Caponiere, which was constructed around 1840, was probably designed by Lieutenant-Colonel John Oldfield. It is located at the south end of the ditch separating the Prince of Wales Bastion from the men’s quarters (Building No. 33). At one time, Buildings No. 45 and No. 46 were connected, but the passage was blocked up when Building No. 33 was built. Building No. 45 is currently vacant. It is part of the Citadel of Québec, a National Historic Site. The building is owned by the Department of National Defence. See FHBRO Report 88-161.

Reasons for Designation
Building No. 45 has been designated “Classified” because of its historical significance, its fine design and quality construction, and its environmental significance.

The building, which is an integral part of the ramparts, is associated with the defence of British North America against the constant threat of invasion by the United States. It accentuates the military character of the Citadel, which had a major impact on the civilian administration of Québec in the last century and also on local development.

The design of the Former Caponiere was very clever, and included a small turret built in the middle of the roof which prevented people from moving about. The Former Caponiere is relatively well preserved, which indicates careful construction and a choice of materials generally appropriate to the characteristics of the site.

The Former Caponiere reinforces the military character of the area in which it is located. Because of its materials and design, it blends well with the adjacent military works. Owing to its strategic location and its state of authenticity, Building No. 45 is of great interest to visitors, who are able to visit it on guided tours.

Character Defining Elements
The heritage character of Building No. 45 resides in its architectural design, building materials and construction techniques, and in its strategic location.

The building is characterized by stone walls laid in regular courses and a sheet metal-clad gable roof. The small turret designed to prevent people from moving about makes the roof unique. The two visible walls of this small building integrated with the ramparts are still pierced with loopholes as they were originally.

It is recommended that the architectural integrity of this building be preserved and that an ongoing maintenance program be put in place to ensure the longevity of the masonry. The unique shape of the roof and the turret must be preserved, as they contribute to the heritage character of the building.

Access to the narrow shooting range inside the caponiere is through a long tunnel the entrance to which is located beneath the Fraser cannon (Prince of Wales Bastion). The shooting range is vaulted to make it more bomb-proof. Its original walls, made of large blocks of evenly-coursed limestone, have been preserved. Unlike many other loopholes in the Citadel, the loopholes of Building No. 45 have not been closed up. Future development of this building should respect these formal characteristics and the rudimentary appearance. The original doors and iron elements still in place should be preserved or reproductions made based on the original design.

The heritage significance of the Former Caponiere also resides in its relationship with the other elements of the defence system located in this part of the Citadel. It is therefore important that new works in the immediate vicinity of the building be kept to an absolute minimum.