Charlesbourg was originally designed so that development would take place in rays spreading out from a community core, a layout that was unique in North America. The town dates back to the 17th century, when Jesuits settled in the seigniory of Notre-Dame-des-Anges. The village centre, with its church, presbytery and cemetery, became known as Trait-Carré. As this aerial photograph shows, Charlesbourg still retained its radial layout in 1945.