Observatoire de la Capitale

Standing at 221 meters above sea level (and with 31 floors), this is Quebec City's tallest building. The former exhibition hall is now the city's observatory (it's also always busy—4,500 government employees work in the building). There are self-guided tours available, on subjects such as history and religious heritage, urban planning, maritime history, and military history. But what people are really coming here for are the views, which includes Parliament Hill but also stretches as far as the Appalachian Foothills to the Laurentians to the Ile d'Orleans. Built in 1972, the Observatoire has welcomed more than one million visitors since it opened its doors.