In 1803 the British built four Martello Towers as part of the defense of Quebec City. It is a little distressing to realize that who they were defending themselves against was the United States. Today three of the towers still exist and one is open for tours. Another one hosts dinners but that is for another journal.
In order to visit the Martello Tower you need to be able to climb stairs. Not just nice wooden stairs (though two of the stairways are just that) but also curved and uneven stones stairs. These were constructed to make it difficult for the invaders to get in but it also makes it awkward for the visitor of today.
Entrance to the Tower is $4, If you purchase one of the passes for $10 it is included along with the Odyssey, Abraham’s Bus and the Louis St. Laurent Heritage House.
You enter the tower at the middle level. This is the barracks. If you are brave you can try on one of the uniforms that the soldiers would have worn, we also see their beds which were bunks and looked very small. When you realize that 20 men lived in this room it seems even smaller.
There are posters written in French and English and also audio presentation. You pick up the headphone, take the magnetic end, and put it on the language you prefer (Spanish, Japanese, French, or English) then put the magnet on the metal strip. The audio should start. There are six or seven through out the tower telling about everything from daily life to punishments for numerous infractions. You didn’t want to be a deserter, not only would you be branded with a D below you armpit but you would be made to stand on one foot with the other foot poised over the pointed end of a bayonet until fatigue made you impale your own foot. Gross
The view from the top floor is quite extraordinary. You can see the river, the Chateau and all the way to the Citadel. There is also a cannon in place so that you can see what the Martello Tower was really meant to do.
On the bottom level was the storage of the thirty days rations that we were always kept on hand and also the powder magazine. One of the audio presentations here talked about the dangers of working in the magazine. Of all the audios I found the one of Private John Atkins writing to his fiancé back in England the most poignant. He talks about conditions of solitude and of the men who resorted to drink, debauchery and going into debt to pass the time.
It was a very interesting tour. Parking is available on the street alongside the park with meters. Allow about an hour and fifteen for your visit.