By using this site, you agree to the Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.
Accept
Icy Canada
  • Business
  • Sports
  • Canada Immigration
  • Canadian Cities
  • Entertainment
  • Destinations
  • Education
  • International Visas
Reading: Notre Dame Montreal: 6 Things You Should Know!
Share
Notification Show More
Reading List
top country songs 2016
Canada Top Country Songs 2016: The Best Top 10
December 3, 2022
Tips on Surviving a Brutal Canadian Winter 1
Tips on Surviving a Brutal Canadian Winter
December 31, 2020
Vancouver's World Famous Celebration Of Light.- events in canada
Latest Canada Immigration News 2020
November 10, 2020
Canadian Tourists Decreasing in the US 2
Canadian Tourists Decreasing in the US
January 20, 2020
Can You Bring Your Spouse While Studying Abroad? 3
Can You Bring Your Spouse While Studying Abroad?
December 21, 2018
Latest News
bay of fundy
Bay of Fundy-16 Amazing Things to Do in the Bay of Fundy
February 3, 2023
indian buffet vancouver
Largest Indian Buffet Vancouver: 6 Important Things to Know
February 2, 2023
business in Ontario
How to Start a Business in Ontario: 10 Important Steps You Must Know
February 2, 2023
Customer intelligence.
From Data To Insights: How Customer Intelligence Is Revolutionizing Marketing & Sales
February 1, 2023
Palace in Richmond
A Complete Guide on the Palace in Richmond: 12 Facts You Should Know
January 31, 2023
Aa
Icy Canada
Aa
  • Home
  • About Us
  • Privacy Page
  • Terms & conditions
  • Business
  • Sports
  • Canada Immigration
  • Canadian Cities
  • Entertainment
  • Destinations
  • Education
  • International Visas
Have an existing account? Sign In
Follow US
  • Home
  • Blog
  • Complaint
  • Advertise
© 2022 Foxiz News Network. Ruby Design Company. All Rights Reserved.
- Advertisement -
Ad image
Icy Canada > Blog > What's New? > Notre Dame Montreal: 6 Things You Should Know!
What's New?

Notre Dame Montreal: 6 Things You Should Know!

Apurva
ApurvaAugust 24, 2020
Updated 2022/12/23 at 5:03 AM
Share
Notre Dame Montreal: 6 Things You Should Know! 4
Photo by worldpitou@gmail.com from Depositphotos
SHARE

Are you curious about Notre Dame Montreal? This article explores the interesting aspects of Notre Dame Montreal.

Contents
Notre Dame Montreal: 6 Things You Should Know!1. History2. Building Constructions and Interiors3. Redecoration4. Interesting Facts5. Information for Visitors6. EventsConclusion

Notre Dame Montreal is a world-famous place, located in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. There’s lots of attractive gothic revival architect, the interiors of this church are different and dramatic.

Apart from the buildings and structures, the history of Notre Dame Montreal is something you ought to know.

Notre Dame Basilica has been given a gothic interior. It is not your regular church. It’s a masterpiece in itself. In Montreal, it is a major attraction for visitors.

The interior of this Basilica has royal colors which have added rich element in the interior of the church.

Along with wooden carvings, the stained glasses also represent the history of Montreal and not the biblical story.

Notre Dame Montreal: 6 Things You Should Know!

If the abovementioned facts failed to have an impression on you, then the rest of the points definitely wouldn’t. So, let us explore the things that make Notre Dame Montreal an interesting place to visit.

1. History

Notre Dame Basilica
Photo by Annie Spratt on Unsplash

In 1657, the Roman Catholic Sulpicians arrived in Montreal, earlier known as Ville-Marie (meaning- village of Mary), who was a society of priests of St. Sulpice.

They founded a parish that was dedicated to the Holy Mary, and the construction of the church began. It was built from 1824 to 1829. It is also believed that Catholic Sulpicians arrived in Montreal, intending to spread the teachings of Christianity.

The interiors and constructions took its sweet time in finishing under the supervision of architect François Baillairgé. Notre Dame Montreal church was the first cathedral of the Diocese of Montreal from 1821 to 1822.

Later in 1824, James O’Donnell was appointed for expansion of the church to such extent, that it can accommodate at least 10,000 people. His work never finished due to a lack of funding.

James is the only person who is buried in this Notre Dame Montreal as it is a catholic church. Before his burial, he was converted into Roman Catholic as he was originally an Anglican.

Notre-Dame Church was uplifted to the status of a basilica by Pope John Paul II in the year 1982, and a few years later, in 1989, the church was designated a National Historic Site of Canada.

2. Building Constructions and Interiors

Notre Dame Montreal: 6 Things You Should Know! 5
Photo by JF Martin on Unsplash

The building constructions didn’t take much longer in comparison with the interiors of the Notre Dame Montreal. Many architects dedicated significant portions of their lives to make this church a human-made wonder.

Francois Baillairge, the first intelligent mind behind this church, did the interior of the choir from 1785 to 1795 and decorated the façade and vaults till 1818.

As the need for expansion was felt, James O’Donnell was appointed to work on the church; he expanded the accommodations to 10,000 seating capacity, which to date remains the largest Church in North America and Canada.

Although James o’Donnell passed away in 1830, his designed towers, which were named as Preservance lies in the west and another one named Temperance lies in the east; were completed after over ten years of his death.

The Preservance was completed in 1841; this tower has a bell whose weight is over 11,000 kgs. Temperance was completed in 1843, which houses a ten bell carillon. All the bells were brought from England.

Both the towers were designed with such intention, that they should be visible from around the town, the finishing work was done by John Ostell, who worked for the longest duration from 1813 to 1892.

3. Redecoration

Notre Dame Montreal: 6 Things You Should Know! 6
Photo by Yi Liu on Unsplash

At the end of the 19th century, Victor Bourgeau took over the charge of redecoration of the Notre Dame Montreal. This architect drove inspiration from the Sainte-Chapelle, which is in Paris, France, and redecorated the interiors, colors, and gold leaf motifs, etc.

The whole process of replacements and the addition of new features like sculptors and paintings took over ten years. In the 1880s, a new 14 meters high pulpit was sculpted by the artist Louis-Philippe Hébert.

In 1978, because of arson, which is a crime of destroying public places and building, destroyed the Sacré-Cœur Chapel that is ‘Chapel of the Sacred Heart.’

Later it was rebuilt, and only the first two levels were re-created from old drawings and photographs, it also included some modern vaulting, and a bronze altarpiece was added which was specially made by Quebec sculptor named as Charles Daudelin.

In 1929, the Notre Dame Montreal completed its first century, the church was redecorated with large beautiful street lamps, and lights and commemorative stained-glass windows were added.

4. Interesting Facts

The Notre Dame Montreal is not just for roaming around, prayers and funerals, but it has its name associated with some famous names. Also, it is visited by over 11 million people from around the world, which makes it one of the most visited places in Montreal.

In the year 2000, when the Canadian sportsperson Maurice “Rocket” Richard, who was a famous ice hockey player, passed away, his funeral was held in front of thousand people, both inside and outside the church.

In the same year, when the 15th Prime Minister of Canada Pierre Trudeau, expired, Justin Trudeau gave a speech from the high altars of the Church.

Famous singer Celine Dion’s wedding with her husband René Angélil was organized in the Notre Dame Montreal in 1994. Later in 2006, the memorial service of her husband was hosted here.

In the summer of 2014, a variety of artifacts of Napoleon Bonaparte, like clothing, weapons, and furniture, etc. were put on display in the crypt on the Basilica. This was organized by a French collector named Pierre-Jean Chalencon.

After the fire accident that took place in Notre-Dame de Paris, Montreal’s church announced its acceptance of donations for providing aid for the Paris cathedral’s reconstruction.

Notre Dame Basilica is the home to one old pipe organ, which was manufactured by Casavant Frères, a former manufacturing company. It is present in the church from 1891.

5. Information for Visitors

Reaching to Notre Dame Basilica in Montreal is very easy; you can walk here from the nearest subway station, or take a cab, whatever suits you best.

After all, it is one of the most famous places to explore in Montreal, so you need at least 30 minutes to take a good look at it, and if you are planning to attend mass, then more than 90 minutes are required.

20-minutes guided tours are organized every day during weekdays for visitor’s convenience.

There are no timing problems, as it remains open for visitors every day, just on weekends, it opens for a shorter duration.

Although this church is open almost throughout the year, it is advisable to visit here during weekdays as you will get an ample amount of time, and also will help in avoiding the rush.

There are parking and eateries available nearby, so you don’t need to worry much. However, the entry costs a negligible amount. You need to pay a few dollars for exploring this historical and religious wonder.

Apart from the points mentioned above, the Basilica also provides pastoral services, hall rentals for weddings, and other events.

6. Events

Notre Dame Montreal
Photo by Liz Fitch on Unsplash

One of the major events that take place here is the Mass, which happens every day.  The timings vary on weekends, but the Mass features some live organ music and the basilica choir, which makes it an attractive event.

The religious events during festivals like Christmas and Easter etc. are organized at a large scale attracts millions of people from around the world.

The great music and festivals keep this church alive and also acts as an excellent place for musicians from around the globe.

During summers, the grand organ festival is organized by the Notre Dame Basilica of Montreal. Famous organist Pierre Grandmaison leads the festival, and renowned organists from all over the world are invited to perform great music on this occasion.

One of the most famous choir group known as ‘the Petits Chanteurs du Mont-Royal,’ and many world-famous choirs, have had the opportunity to perform in the Notre Dame Montreal church, with some exceptional acoustics and musicians. The church is also open to new members for choir with previous similar experiences.

There are many different music concerts organized at the Notre Dame Basilica. The unique ambiance of the church adds magic to the show, making it a different experience altogether.

Conclusion

These were some important information about the Notre Dame Montreal. The church has a great history and being around two centuries old. There’s lots of information and designs that tell a story of its journey.

To have an in-depth insight into the visiting time, events, and history of Notre Dame Montreal, you can visit their official website here!

Notre Dame is a fantastic place and also the largest city in Quebec, Canada, which attracts millions of tourists every year. Also, Montreal is the fifth largest French-speaking city, and most people are bi-lingual here, so communication is not a problem here.

But before visiting, there are several other things that you need to know about Montreal.

This was an article on ‘Notre Dame Montreal: 6 Things You Should Know’. If you have something to add, please feel free to share your thoughts with us!

Apurva August 24, 2020
Share this Article
Facebook TwitterEmail Print
Previous Article Exploring The Spectacular Sloquet Hot Springs 7 Exploring The Spectacular Sloquet Hot Springs
Next Article Things To Do In Canmore - 13 Exciting Options! 8 Things To Do In Canmore – 13 Exciting Options!
Leave a comment

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Stay Connected

Facebook Like
Twitter Follow
Pinterest Pin

Latest News

camping checklist
101 Camping Checklist: Ultimate Guide to All Essentials
Featured
Calgary movers.
Top 7 Calgary Movers – Find the Best Calgary Moving Companies
Featured

You Might Also Like

Alcan highway.
What's New?

5 Things To Do Along The Alcan Highway

January 26, 2023
Thermostat setting, What is the Ideal temperature for a House?
What's New?

What is the Ideal Temperature for a House? 10 Simple Steps to Know

January 21, 2023
begbie falls
What's New?

Begbie Falls- 5 Best Things To Do

January 14, 2023
Best birthday Cake toronto
What's New?

20 Best Birthday Cake Toronto Options to Feast On

January 12, 2023
//

Icycanada.com your home to Canadian life, the outdoors, events, immigration news, and more.

Icy Canada

3-11860 River Rd, V3V 2V7,

Surrey, BC, Canada

+17789512734

Have questions? Reach out to us at team@icytales.com

Disclosure Statement

We are reader-supported. And we review products independently. When you do buy a product after clicking on a link, we may earn a small commission. That doesn’t mean you will pay more. No, because our commission is independent of what you would pay otherwise. It’s what helps us keep small businesses like us alive.

© 2022 Icy Canada. All Rights Reserved.

  • Home
  • About Us
  • Privacy Page
  • Terms & conditions

Removed from reading list

Undo
Welcome Back!

Sign in to your account

RegisterLost your password?