Château Frontenac, Quebec City

Fairmont Le Château Frontenac dominates the Quebec City skyline from its position on Cap Diamant in the Upper Town, its copper-roofed turrets and château-style towers visible from across the St. Lawrence River and from the Lévis shore on the opposite bank. Designed by American architect Bruce Price and completed in phases from 1893 through 1993 when the central tower was added, the building is classified as one of the most photographed hotels in the world. As a photograph subject, the Château offers entirely distinct framings depending on position: from Dufferin Terrace directly below, the building rises almost vertically above the viewer's head and is best captured with a wide-angle lens in the blue hour when the façade lights activate; from the Lower Town's Place Royale, the copper rooflines appear above the historical stone buildings in a layered composition; from the Lévis waterfront across the river, the entire Quebec City skyline anchored by the Château is visible in a single frame. Winter transforms all these views with snow on the turrets and blue-white ice floes in the St. Lawrence. The building is a functioning luxury hotel; the lobby and first-floor public areas, including Samuel restaurant, are accessible to non-guests without reservation. Guided hotel history tours are available on most days through the concierge desk. Dufferin Terrace, a broad boardwalk immediately below the château and above the river, is the primary public gathering point and provides the most dramatic close-range views.