Old Montreal Walking Tour (Self Guided), Montreal

The Chapel of Our Lady of Good Help (Notre-Dame-de-Bon-Secours) was built in 1771 as the first pilgrimage site in the Old Port of Montreal for the arrived sailors who wished to make offerings to the Virgin in gratitude for her "good help" in a safe voyage across the Atlantic. It is also the oldest surviving chapel in the Old City.

The church sits directly on top of an older temple – of 1675 – that was destroyed by fire. The foundations of the first church, uncovered recently during excavations in the crypt underneath the chapel, provide insight into the times long gone. Among other things, this archaeological site contains artifacts from the First Nations and French colonial periods, including fragments of the colony's early fortifications. Those interested in history can take a guided audio tour of the underground crypt and learn more about the early days of Montreal and the chapel site.

Emphasizing its connection with the maritime theme, the chapel is also often referred to as the Sailors' Church. In line with its nautical flair, the interior décor – simple yet elegant – is definitely worth a peek, if only to observe the gorgeous ship replicas hanging from the ceiling.

Visitors to the church can also climb the wooden stairs and explore the building's prominent spire. From up there opens a spectacular view of the harbour, the Saint Lawrence River, the Old Port, the remnants of Expo 67, and Our Lady of the Harbour statue – immortalized in the Leonard Cohen song 'Suzanne' ("And the sun pours down like honey / On our lady of the harbour"). And, of course, you can see up close the angels on the chapel roof, too.

The church also houses the Marguerite Bourgeoys Museum, dedicated to the life of Saint Marguerite Bourgeoys, founder of the Notre-Dame congregation. In 2005, her mortal remains were brought back to the temple and interred in the sanctuary.

Bonsecours Market (Marché Bonsecours) owes its name to the adjacent Chapel of Our Lady of Good Help (Notre-Dame-de-Bon-Secours).

Inaugurated in 1847, for over a century this was the primary agricultural market for the Montreal area. Also, for a brief period – just one session, in 1849 – the building housed the Legislative Assembly (Parliament) of United Canada and, throughout 1852-1878, accommodated the Montreal City Hall.

The elongated two-story Neoclassical edifice with a tin-plated dome and columns is considered one of the main achievements of Canadian architecture. In 1984, it was designated a National Historic Site of Canada. The design – by British architect William Footner – was influenced by Dublin's Customs House. Further additions, including a 900-square-meter concert and banquet hall, completed in 1860, were designed by Irish-born Montreal architect George Browne.

The building continued to serve as the farmer's central market, as well as a venue for banquets, exhibitions, and festivals until it was closed in 1963. After standing idle for a few years, it was slated for demolition.

Luckily, the property was later transformed into a multi-purpose facility with a mall incorporating outdoor cafés, restaurants, and exclusive boutiques selling authentic Canadian crafts such as jewelry, leather, and hand-blown glass – all made in Quebec. Those keen on maple tree products will be particularly delighted to find here a huge variety of relevant merchandise including beer, wine, butter, and even lollipops.

However, if shopping isn't your prime interest, you may just as well walk around the site and find some pretty angles to photograph the building's grand-looking exterior. Or, perhaps, grab yourself a seat in one of the cafés and restaurants lining the facade and have a good time.

The Montreal City Hall (Hôtel de Ville de Montréal) is the very first seat of municipal administration purposely constructed in Canada. Presently, it houses the offices of the Mayor and the City Council, as well as several other administrative departments.

The five-story edifice was originally built between 1872 and 1878 to a design by architects Henri-Maurice Perrault and Alexander Cowper Hutchison and is considered one of the best examples of the Second Empire style of architecture in the country.

The building's facade is made of gray limestone and its front and sides are beautifully decorated with turrets, balconies, and mansard roofs. The grand clock tower, rising 45 meters above the ground, is topped by a statue of the city's founder, Paul Chomedey de Maisonneuve.

Sadly, the original building was gutted by fire in March 1922, leaving only the outer wall and destroying many of the city's historical records. The replacement building, featuring a self-supporting steel structure (inside the shell of the ruins), was modelled after the city hall of the French city of Tours. It opened in February 1926.

The building's interior is equally impressive. Inside, the Hall of Honour is an open space full of marble and gold embellishments that houses Art Deco lamps from Paris and a bronze-and-glass chandelier, also from France, weighing a metric ton. In the council room, the five stained-glass windows, installed in the 1920s, depict the fundamental aspects of the city, such as Religion, Agriculture, Sea Port, Commerce, and Finance. In 1984, the building was designated a National Historic Site of Canada.

Unlike many government sites with restricted public entry, the Montreal City Hall permits visitors to take a quick guided tour – in both, English and French – free of charge. The tour schedules are displayed at the entrance.

Behind the building is a pocket of green, known as the Field of Mars (Champ-de-Mars), which used to serve as a military parade ground and a parking lot before being converted into a park in the 1980s. During the conversion, workers unearthed the remains of the city's old fortifications; parts of the restored city walls were later incorporated into the site.

Overlooking the Montreal City Hall from across Notre-Dame Street is the Ramezay Castle (Château Ramezay). This historic "château" was built in 1705 as the residence of the then-governor of the city, Claude de Ramezay, who paid for its construction out of his own pocket. This was the first building proclaimed as a historical monument in Quebec and was designated a National Historic Site of Canada in 1949.

Over the course of its three-century-long history, the building went through many incarnations, changing several owners and serving different functions. These included head offices for the French West India Company (1745-64) and the Canadian headquarters for the Continental Army in 1775. Benjamin Franklin stayed here overnight in 1776 while trying to raise troops to fight for the Americans in the American Revolutionary War. After the British Conquest, the house once again served as a governor's residence, this time for the British governors. And in 1878, the building hosted the University of Montreal's (Université de Montréal) first Faculty of Medicine.

In 1894, the property was bought by the Numismatic and Antiquarian Society of Montreal and turned into a historical museum and portrait gallery. Today, its collection comprises some 30,000 objects, mainly gifts from private donators, including manuscripts, printed publications, numismatics, ethnological items, paintings, prints, and other works of art, as well as furniture.

Although multimedia displays take you through the building's evolution, the real focus is on the history and progression of the city, from the time of its foundation until Confederation. One of its highlights is the Salle de Nantes, a mahogany-paneled room from 1725, whose decoration was rightly or wrongly attributed to Germain Boffrand, chief architect to Louis XIV and Louis XV. The room was part of the French pavilion at the 1967 Expo and was donated to the museum shortly after. There are also kid-oriented exhibits, at the basement level.

The Notre Dame Basilica of Montreal (Basilique Notre-Dame de Montréal) is a stunning piece of Gothic Revival architecture. Designed by the Irish-American architect James O'Donnell, it was completed, for the most part, in 1829.

The sanctuary was constructed a year later, while the first and second towers were added in 1841 and 1843, respectively. Both towers have bells: the West Tower (La Persévérance), has a bourdon bell nicknamed Jean-Baptiste. It was cast in John Dod Ward’s Eagle Foundry in 1848 and weighs 10,900 kg. Jean-Baptiste tolls only on special occasions, such as funerals, great religious festivals, and Christmas Eve. The East Tower (La Temperance), houses a ten-bell carillon from the same foundry, made in 1842.

The facade of the church was completed in 1865 and includes, among other features, three statues by the French sculptor Henri Bouriché, namely: the Virgin Mary (representing Montreal), Saint John the Baptist (representing Quebec), and Saint Joseph (representing Canada).

The interior – colorful and lavish – took much longer to complete and is quite impressive with its richly decorated columns, intricate wood carvings, statues, and elaborate stained glass windows. Quite unusual for a church, the stained glass windows here depict scenes from the history of Montreal rather than biblical scenes. Another spectacular highlight of the basilica is the Casavant Frères pipe organ, created in 1891, which is one of the largest organs in North America, comprising four keyboards and 7,000 individual pipes.

The Notre-Dame church was raised to the status of a minor basilica, by Pope John Paul II, in 1982 and was designated a National Historic Site of Canada in 1989.

Today, the Notre Dame of Montreal is a popular landmark, attracting yearly more than 11 million tourists from around the globe, making it one of the most visited sites in North America. Even the $10 admission fee doesn't turn visitors away.

Over the years, the basilica has hosted a number of important events, such as Céline Dion's wedding in 1994 and the funeral of the former Canadian Prime Minister, Pierre Trudeau, in 2000.

If you're interested in classical and religious music, the basilica offers musical programming of choral and organ performances, including Handel's Messiah every Christmas.

Tip:
The provided on-site brochure is very informative and can be used as a self-guide. Additionally, there's a free 20-minute English/French tour available at entry.
The 'AURA' light show (starting usually at 7 and 9 pm) is exceptional but often sold out, so plan your visit in advance: you can book a ticket online or come early to get a place. Try sitting somewhere in the middle to get the best music & light experience.

One of the oldest public sites in Montreal, Arms' Square (Place d'Armes) has a rather epic history to it, dating back over 300 years. This is the third location in Montreal to bear such a name, which is a French term long used to denote an assembly point for city defenders. In line with this, the square is anchored by a monument of Paul de Chomedey de Maisonneuve, the French officer and founder of Montreal. Erected in 1895, the statue commemorates Chomedey's defense of the young Ville-Marie settlement against the Iroquois Indians.

Originally, when first built in 1693, the place was called Factory Square (Place de la Fabrique) and was renamed Arms' Square only in 1721 when it became a stage for military drills, parades, and suchlike events. From 1781 to 1813, the site was used as a hay and wood market and later developed as a Victorian garden, after being acquired by the city in 1836. The square took its current shape in 1850 when Notre Dame Street was completed.

However, its real significance comes not so much from the spot itself as from what surrounds it. The structures bordering Arms' Square on all sides define Montreal's diverse heritage and represent major periods of the city's development. Primarily, these are the Notre Dame Basilica and the Saint Sulpice Seminary, Montréal's oldest building, constructed in the 1680s.

Other structures of note include the Bank of Montreal head office – Canada's first bank – opened in 1859, and the New York Life Building – Montreal's first skyscraper – constructed in 1887 and furnished with an elevator that was quite a novelty at that time. Across the way, the Royal Trust and the Duluth Building (to the left of the basilica) are the two early-20th-century high-risers that mark a distinct architectural shift, cemented with the arrival, in 1931, of the Art-Deco-style Aldred Building, designed to ensure maximum natural lighting for the streets below. Another landmark, a post-war glass and steel structure, the only one of its kind in the city, now known as the National Bank Tower, completed the square's architectural timeline in 1968.

Directly in front of it, you will find two sculptures: a caricature of a haughty Englishman with a pug, and one of a French woman with a poodle. While the dogs eye each other with eagerness to play, the lady gives an evident look of disdain towards the symbol of English power (that is the old Bank of Montreal), while the gentleman looks down his nose at the Notre Dame Basilica, symbolizing historical French influence in the region.

The pedestrian-friendly square is also a departure point for horse-drawn tours of Old Montreal. Fitted with sprawling benches which offer relief from the surrounding concrete, it is a beautiful place to stop, have a coffee or snack and marvel at the historical surroundings.

The Center for Montreal Memories is a museum dedicated to preserving and promoting the history of the city of Montreal and its inhabitants. The building, over a century old, is the former headquarters of the Montreal Fire Department and, as such, can tell a story or two itself.

Quite noticeably, its architectural style is quite different from the rest of Montreal. Why? – Because it's Flemish (the scallops up the side are the dead giveaway)! Created by architects Joseph Perrault and Simon Lesage, this house was unique in Montreal at the time of its construction, in 1903-1904. The facade consists of buff sandstone, red brick, a mansard roof with a skylight, and a square tower crowned with a hip roof. After extensive renovations, the building was converted into the History Center, in 1983, as part of the celebrations of Montreal's 350th anniversary.

The Center's permanent exhibition, on the ground floor, is called "Montreal in Five Steps" (Montreal en cinq temps) and comprises over 4,000 artifacts. These include a range of interactive exhibits, multimedia installations, historic maps, photographs, and personal objects, highlighting important time frames in the history of the city, from the first contact with the indigenous Iroquois in 1535 to the present day.

In addition to its permanent collection, the Montreal History Center also hosts temporary exhibitions, on the top floor, and special events throughout the year.

Old Montreal is, indeed, old. Walking through it, you will pass along narrow streets lined with buildings that, in some cases, predate Canada as an independent nation. But stepping inside the Pointe-a-Calliere museum will make you see things that are even older – right from the Natives era.

Dedicated to the history and archaeology of Montreal, this museum was founded in 1992, and named after the site of the original settlement of Fort Ville-Marie (precursor of Montreal) – Pointe-a-Calliere.

The museum complex consists of several locations, connected by underground passages, among which are the Mariners' House, the Youville Pumping Station, and the Éperon Building housing the main exhibition spaces.

The museum's exhibits cover a wide range of topics, such as the First Nations heritage, the French colonial period, the British colonial period, and the city's industrialization and modernization. There are also exhibits dedicated to specific topics, such as the history of the Montreal Canadiens hockey team, the archaeology of the city's sewers, and the role of Montreal in the Underground Railroad.

One of the highlights of the complex is the Archaeological Crypt, located beneath the Éperon Building. The crypt contains the ruins of some of Montreal's earliest buildings, including its first Catholic cemetery and the old city hall. Another notable exhibit is the Multimedia Show, which is held in the Mariners' House and uses a combination of sound, light, and video to tell the story of Montreal from its earliest days to the present.

The museum also houses a variety of permanent and temporary exhibitions that showcase different aspects of Montreal's history, such as the city's role in the fur trade, its importance as a port city, and its cultural diversity. One of the most popular exhibits is called "Building Montreal", exploring the city's architectural heritage through the centuries.

In addition to the exhibits, the Pointe-a-Calliere Museum has a restaurant and a gift shop, which sells souvenirs, books, and other items related to Montreal's history and culture.

Tip:
If you have kids, it's worth checking the museum website to see what's going on for the little ones.

Saint-Paul (Rue Saint-Paul) is the oldest street in Montreal, laid out in 1673 according to a plan by François Dollier de Casson. It follows the path that once bordered the northern edge of the former Fort Ville-Marie and is named after Paul de Chomedey de Maisonneuve, founder of the fort and the first governor of Montreal, who built a home for himself in this area in 1650.

Unlike other – straight – streets drawn by Dollier de Casson, the cavernous cobblestone Saint-Paul is a bit winding. Centered on Royal Square (Place Royale), a major marketplace until 1803, it was destined to become, for many years, the city's main thoroughfare. In the 19th century, Old Montreal was the cradle of the local press, making Saint Paul home to a multitude of French- and English-language newspapers and journals. Busy day and night, the street was the first in the city to benefit from oil lighting.

There are several historic buildings lining Saint-Paul such as the Intendance Palace of 1698 and the Vaudreuil Castle (Château de Vaudreuil) of 1724. The street is also home to such prominent landmarks as the Bonsecours Market and the Chapel of Our Lady of Good Help (Notre-Dame-de-Bon-Secours). It also boasts perhaps the highest in the city concentration of tourist-themed souvenir shops, art galleries, boutique hotels, lively rooftop terraces, cafés, and eateries with international cuisine.

Tip:
In case you are budget-conscious, remember that the prices in this area are a bit higher than usual.

Open to the public in September 2017, to mark the 375th anniversary of the city, The Big Wheel of Montreal (La Grande Roue de Montréal) is the tallest Ferris wheel in Canada, standing at 60 metres (200 feet). It is also the fourth of its type installed worldwide following those in Hong Kong (2014), Baku (2014), and Chicago (2016).

Situated directly on the river, on Bonsecours Basin Island in the Old Port of Montreal, the wheel provides a 360° view of the city, including Old Montreal, its historic buildings, Jacques-Cartier Square (Place Jacques-Cartier), and the architecture of Downtown Montreal with Royal Mountain (Mont-Royal) as the backdrop. To the south, unfolds the Saint Lawrence River and its seaway, while in the middle of the river, you can see Saint Helen's Island and Notre Dame Island – the former sites for Expo 67. In the evening, the dominant view is the illuminated Mount Royal Cross accompanying the changing lighting on Jacques-Cartier Bridge.

The wheel has 42 passenger units, each capable of carrying up to 8 persons, for a total capacity of 336 passengers. The climate-controlled cabins are suitable for use all year round, day and night, in temperatures down to −40 °C (−40 °F) and winds of up to 240 kilometres per hour.

A small park by the wheel contains modern and clean facilities including a restaurant, a cafe with an ice cream parlor, a gift shop, and restrooms.

Package deals are available for families, and those wanting VIP rides, yearly passes, and more. You do not have to book or reserve a time in advance – just show up and pay. Certainly not a bad addition to an Old Montreal itinerary!

Located on the north bank of the Saint Lawrence River, the historic Old Port of Montreal (Vieux-Port de Montréal) stretches for over two kilometers (1.2 miles) south of Old Montreal, in a natural harbor that was once frequented by Amerindian canoes and then by barges and ships of French fur traders and others.

In service from as early as 1611, the port bore witness to the economic and cultural development of Montreal and remained in use until 1976, when the present Port of Montreal was launched further east. In the early 1990s, the territory was redeveloped and in 2005 changed its name to The Quays of the Old Port of Montreal. Today, it serves as a recreational and historical area, attracting annually over six million visitors.

A place for all seasons, there's always something happening here! Summer is great for all sorts of riverfront activities such as rollerblading, cycling, quadricycling, and pleasure boating. Taking a boat cruise on the Saint Lawrence river, or renting a pedal boat for a trip around Bonsecours Basin is also available. A thin park, running the entire length of the Old Port Promenade, offers tourists and locals an ideal spot to relax and catch a cool breeze off the water.

Winter is ideal for skating on the outdoor rink or just playing in the snow. At all times of the year, the Saint Lawrence river is awe-inspiring and powerful.

The on-site attractions include a "labyrinth" in Shed 16 (which is a maze of alleys and obstacles built inside an old waterfront warehouse), the Montreal Science Centre (complete with an IMAX Theatre) on King Edward Pier, and the Montreal Clock Tower.

One of the Port's gems is the Montreal-based Cirque du Soleil which approximately every two years, in spring, launches a new show from the Jacques Cartier Quay by setting up its signature blue-and-yellow-striped tents. In June 2012, an urban beach, called the Clock Tower Beach (Plage de l'Horloge), was opened adjacent to the Clock Tower.

Cultural events in the area include the Montreal High Lights Festival (Festival Montréal en lumière), Igloofest, and the Matsuri Japon festival.

If you have a couple of hours to kill in Montreal, wandering around the Old Port is worth considering.