Gezicht op Château Frontenac before 1894

Jules-Ernest Livernois captured the Château Frontenac in this photograph, presenting it as a potent symbol of power and permanence. Perched atop the cliff, the Château's architecture—its towering presence—echoes the medieval castles of Europe, symbols of feudal authority and control. The iconography of elevation is critical here. Think back to ancient ziggurats and temples, structures designed to lift rulers closer to the divine. The Château Frontenac adopts this visual language. But it also departs from it. Unlike a fortress, the Château functions as a hotel. It evokes a sense of luxury and hospitality, an emotional draw that contrasts with the cold, stark imagery of its medieval predecessors. The cyclical progression of symbols shows us how power adapts, transforms, and resurfaces through history. The echoes of old authority are subtly repackaged for new contexts.