The National Assembly of Québec meets in a grand Second Empire building completed in 1886, just outside the Old City walls. The bronze statues adorning the façade are an inventory of Québec history: Champlain, Cartier, Montcalm, Wolfe, de Maisonneuves — each figure a reminder that Québec's political identity is built on a foundational tension between French and British traditions.
Free guided tours of the interior run daily in both official languages. The parliamentary debating chamber is richly decorated and shows the French influence strongly; the building also contains the Grand Salon and other formal spaces open to the public. The fountain in front of the building is a good place to eat lunch on a summer day. The legislature is in session from October through June; visitors can sometimes watch debates from the public gallery.