Basilica Notre-Dame de Montreal (Cathedral of Our Lady of Montreal)

Notre-Dame de Montreal is an ancient basilica in the old part of the city of Montreal, which has the status of a cathedral and is considered one of the most beautiful churches in Canada. The monumental neo-Gothic church rises to a height of 70 meters, so it is clearly visible from afar. Notre-Dame de Montreal is one of the main decorations of the Old Town and is very popular with tourists. Since 1989, the Montreal cathedral has had the status of a national monument of Canada.

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Video: Notre-Dame de Montreal

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General Information

The first church on this site appeared in 1672 and was consecrated in honor of Our Lady. At that time, it was the only Catholic church in all of Montreal, and it served as a cathedral church. The cathedral that survives today was built in the nineteenth century. At the time of its construction, it was one of the largest Catholic churches in North America.

Every Sunday morning, the melodious ringing of bells gathers parishioners for traditional Catholic Mass. On Saturdays, weddings are held at the temple. Interestingly, it was in Notre-Dame de Montreal that the marriage of the famous Canadian singer Celine Dion took place. The lavish wedding, which took place in 1994, attracted a lot of attention from the press and fans of the pop singer’s work.

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The doors of the cathedral are open daily for visitors. During mass, everyone is allowed into the church free of charge. Those who want to see the interiors of the basilica can get here from Monday to Friday from 9.00 to 16.30, on Saturdays from 9.00 to 15.30, and on Sundays from 13.00 to 15.30. Entrance for tourists is paid. The money raised is used to maintain repairs to the historic building. A ticket for adults costs $6, for children from 7 to 17 years old – $4. Children under the age of 7 are allowed into the temple for free.

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An hour-long tour of Notre Dame de Montreal Cathedral costs $12 for adults and $8 for children between 7 and 17 years old. An hour and a half tour for adults costs $18, and $8 for children 7 to 17 years old. Tours for groups of 10 to 25 people are available in English and French.

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History of the cathedral

In 1824, renowned architect James O’Donnell, who had built several buildings in Montreal and New York, was commissioned by the Canadian city’s administration to erect a new Catholic church. In order to supervise the construction of the large cathedral, the architect specifically moved from New York to Canada.

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The foundation stone of Notre Dame de Montreal was laid in 1829, but the construction of the cathedral stretched for a long time. A year later the naves were erected, by 1842 the builders put up the first tower, and the entire building was not finished until 1872. It took another 7 years to complete the minor details, finishing work and interior decoration, which took place under the direction of John Redpath.

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Then it was decided to build a chapel for the cathedral. For this reason, the opening of Notre-Dame de Montreal to the faithful was pushed back another 9 years. Finally, in 1888, the majestic Catholic cathedral was consecrated and the first mass was held there.

In 1978, there was a massive fire. When the church was rebuilt, the interiors of the chapel had to be almost completely remodeled.

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Features of the architecture

Notre-Dame de Montreal is built of natural stone in the tradition of neo-Gothicism, so its outlines are very reminiscent of the famous Notre-Dame de Paris Cathedral. It is noteworthy that North America began to master this architectural style much later than Europe.

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On the sides of the central entrance rise two monumental square towers topped with graceful crenellations. They have their own names: “Perseverance” and “Restraint”. In the western tower hangs the largest bell in North America, weighing up to 12 tons. The sound of the huge bell is so strong that it can be heard at a distance of 15 kilometers. The entrance to the cathedral is decorated with three lancet arches.

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What you can see inside

The interiors of Notre-Dame de Montreal look very festive and solemn. The temple is decorated with rich wall paintings, fine wood carvings and gilding, and the interior vaults are painted in deep blue. Of special note is the pulpit, which is reached by a carved twisted staircase with wooden figures, and colored stained glass imported from Limoges, France.

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The cathedral has a 7,000-pipe organ, which is prized for its excellent sound. It was made in 1891 by the famous Canadian firm Casavant Frères and is considered one of the largest pipe organs in the world. The temple regularly hosts concerts of choral and organ music, during which you can listen to the works of famous composers and songs from popular movies. A concert ticket costs $12 for an adult and $8 for children between the ages of 7 and 17.

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How to get there

Notre-Dame de Montreal is located at 110 Rue Notre-Dame Ouest, in Montreal’s Old Town. Line 2 of the Montreal Metro must be taken to the Place-d’Armes (“Place des Armes”) station. Alternatively, the cathedral can be reached by buses #55S, 361N and 363N.

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