Tourist Attractions in Montreal
Montreal allows tourists to plunge into French traditions with an American accent
Montreal allows tourists to plunge into French traditions with an American accent. The European spirit reigns here and at the same time the atmosphere of the Western continent is clearly felt. On the one hand – fine cuisine and wine in restaurants, on the other – Indian totem poles in the Botanical Garden. The Catholic churches of the Old Town contrast well with modern business districts, and the futuristic Biosphere boldly rises above the peaceful landscapes of the St. Lawrence River Valley. The foundation stone of the city was laid by the French colonist Paul Chaumedy de Maisonneuve. A few centuries later, a small settlement turned into a powerful industrial and commercial center, which plays an important role in the country's economy. For tourists, Montreal is a city of festivals, shows, entertainment and endless shopping. He is hospitable and always open to new guests.
Top 20 Tourist Attractions in Montreal
Old Montreal
The historical and touristic quarter of the Montreal, within which the main tourist attractions are located: the town hall, the Jacques Cartier Bridge, the Notre-Dame de Montreal Church, the clock tower and other places attractive to tourists. The history of this part of the city began in the XVII century, when the French settlement of Ville-Marie was founded. British colonists also made a significant contribution to the appearance of Old Montreal.
Mont Royal
A small hill with three peaks, located in the city limits of Montreal. The main attractions of Mont-Royal are the stone cross with a height of more than 30 meters and the oratory of St. St. Joseph's is one of the largest Catholic churches in Canada. In 1876, a park appeared on the slopes of the hill, which eventually became a popular holiday destination for residents of Montreal. In summer, people ride bicycles here, and in winter they ski.
Old Port of Montreal
An important transport hub in the past and a space for walking and relaxing in the present. Despite the loss of its strategic importance, the old port is still in operation, and ships often come here. Tourist liners are also moored here. There is a cozy square along the embankment, which is a pleasant walk on a fine day. There is an IMAX cinema and the Montreal Science Museum on the territory of the port.
St. Joseph's Oratory
Catholic basilica, built at the beginning of the XX century. At first it was a modest chapel, accommodating a small number of parishioners. In 1917, there was a need for expansion and a more spacious church was built. The third stage of construction began in 1924 and lasted until 1967. The founder of the temple, Brother Andre, was famous for his miraculous deeds, so numerous pilgrims visited the basilica.
Notre-Dame Basilica of Montreal
The Cathedral of Montreal, located within the historic center of the city. The building is built in the Neo-Gothic style. Its 70-meter bell towers dominate all the surrounding buildings. The church was built in 1672 at the expense of the Catholic community. In 1924, architect D. O'Donnell began work on a new building. After its completion in 1872, the basilica became the largest religious building in North America.
Mary, Queen of the World Cathedral
Catholic church of the late XIX century, located in the modern district of Montreal surrounded by skyscrapers. The building was built in the Baroque and Renaissance styles. Its forms copy the outlines of the Cathedral of St. Peter in the Vatican. Of course, the Montreal Cathedral is much smaller than its Roman prototype, and there are also differences in the interior decoration. But in general, it is a reduced copy of the latter.
Notre-Dame-de-Bon-Secours Chapel
The temple was built in the XVIII century on the ruins of an old chapel, which was damaged by fire. The building is built in an interesting Norman Gothic style. A small museum of Margarita Bourgeois, the holy founder of the female monastic order of the Mother of God, has been opened at the temple. The exposition introduces visitors to the early history of Montreal, the church itself, as well as to the mundane deeds of Margarita.
Arts Square
The main cultural complex of Montreal, one of the largest in all of Canada. It is located in the eastern part of the city. The Arts Square is a multifunctional center where the audience can enjoy opera, ballet, dramatic productions, concerts, as well as contemplate fine art. The complex was created in 1963 on the initiative of Mayor Zh . Drape.
Montreal Museum of Fine Arts
The gallery is considered one of the largest and most famous in all of North America. It was founded as an Association of Fine Arts in the middle of the XIX century. The collection contains more than 30 thousand items from different eras, including an extensive art exhibition with paintings by famous European painters. Most of the collection was donated by local patrons.
Pointe-a-Calleur Museum
The Archaeological Museum, which was opened in 1992 to celebrate the 350th anniversary of Montreal. The complex of buildings is located in the heart of the Old Town. The museum consists of exhibition halls, a multimedia center, conference rooms and research rooms. It has its own permanent exhibition and temporary vernissages are held quite often.
Montreal Biodome
The Montreal Biodome combines a scientific center, an ecological park with an imitation of five ecosystems at once and a zoo under one roof. It is located in the building of the former velodrome, built for the 1976 Olympics. The main mission of the center is environmental education and promotion of responsible attitude to the environment. Lectures and films about nature are often given here.
Montreal Insectarium
The insectarium collection is based on the frequent collection of entomologist Zh . Brossard. It is thanks to him that a special place has appeared in the city where visitors can look at all possible insects. The insectarium opened to the public in 1990, since then it has become one of the most visited attractions in Montreal. There are more than 250 thousand different species, more than 100 of them are alive.
Biosphere
A unique museum located on the island of St. Helena. Its exposition is dedicated to the water resources of the St. Lawrence River. The unusual structure resembles a huge soap bubble made of metal lace, inside which engineering structures are placed. The biosphere was created for the 1967 World's Fair and later transferred to the disposal of the city authorities. The museum opened in 1990.
Montreal City Hall
The city council building, located in the historical center. The first town hall was built according to the project of A.- M. Perrault and A. Hutchison in the "second Empire" style. As a result of a fire in 1922, only the walls remained of the structure. Restoration work was carried out under the supervision of L. Parant, who gave the building the features of the Beaux-arts manner. In 1984, the town hall was recognized as a national monument.
Habitat 67
An unusual residential complex in the brutalist style, designed by M. Safdi in the 60s of the XX century. It was built for the opening of the 1967 World's Fair, the theme of which was residential construction. In fact, Habitat 67 is an apartment building consisting of cubes fused together. Due to the design features, each apartment owner has his own private garden on the neighbor's roof.
Underground City
A system of tunnels, passages, halls, metro stations and shopping galleries located underground. Some residents refer to this space as "inner Montreal". There are also residential apartments, offices, cinemas and restaurants, among which it is quite easy to get lost. Often residents use the roads of the "underground city" to avoid traffic jams and get to the place faster.
Bonsecour Market
Bonsecour is not exactly a market in the usual sense. Rather, it can be considered a shopping center, which houses some of the most expensive stores in Montreal. Small boutiques sell furniture, tableware, stone and wood crafts, clothing, paintings and jewelry. All this commercial variety occupies a monumental building of the XIX century, which looks more like a hall for parliamentary meetings.
Jean-Talon Market
Farmer's market, where they sell healthy and healthy food. A huge variety of fruits, vegetables, mushrooms and greens are waiting for customers on the shelves. Everything looks quite fresh, appetizing and is quite inexpensive, given the local price level. From the exotic – zucchini flowers, which, it turns out, can be fried and eaten. They taste no worse than the zucchini themselves.
Gilles Villeneuve Circuit
The Canadian stage of the Formula 1 race (Canadian Grand Prix) takes place at the circuit. It is a rather winding route laid out among lakes and park pavilions. There are a lot of sharp turns here, which requires professionalism and maximum concentration of attention from the pilots. Interestingly, outside of racing, some sections of the circuit are used as common roads.
Montreal Botanical Garden
In 2008, the garden was recognized as a natural monument of Canada due to the incredible variety of species growing on its territory. Plants from all over the world are collected here. Under the open sky there are several thematic zones dedicated to individual countries or places on the planet: China, Japan, the Alps, the northern territories. The garden was founded in 1931 at the height of the Great Depression.