Issuu

24 Places to Visit and Color

Jake Rose

Illustrations by Various Artists

Photo by Paolo Costa Baldi

1. Olympic Stadium/Park Designed in 1972 by Roger Taillibert, the Olympic Stadium resembled a gigantic shell, open at the center and complemented with a 175-meter-high mast. While work began at the Olympic Park in 1973 and the Stadium’s first columns emerged in 1974, labor disputes over the following years threatened to endanger the Olympic Games’ start date. Nevertheless, the opening ceremonies began without a hitch on July 17th, 1976. During the Games, Montreal’s Olympic City contained the massive Olympic Stadium and the luscious Olympic Village. After the Olympics concluded, the Régie des Installations Olympiques transformed both Olympic Stadium into the new home for the Montréal Expos baseball team and the Olympic Village into rental apartments. 1987 was a big year for the Stadium, as the 92-meter-high Montréal Tower was finally completed, the mobile Kevlar roof was hoisted and deployed, and the cable funicular and Observatory opened; the Velodrome was transformed into the Biodôme in 1992. Today, the Olympic Park site hosts the home of the CF Montréal soccer team in the Saputo Stadium and the Rio Tinto Alcan Planetarium.

Photo by Diego Delso

2. ' Montreal City Hall Montréal City Hall has a more turbulent history than its peaceful façade suggests. Located in Old Montréal, this four-story Second-Empire-style architectural jewel went up between 1872 and 1878, and survived a severe fire in 1922. It was from this balcony that French President General de Gaulle uttered his famous “Vive le Québec libre!” (Long live free Québec) during a state visit in 1967. At dusk, when it is lit up, it is absolutely spectacular. Behind the City Hall, lies the Champ-de-Mars. Two lines of stone runs across the surface. This is one of the few spots in present-day Montréal where you can still see physical evidence of the fortified town of yesteryear.

Photo by Boris Kasimov

3. ' Montreal Clock Tower Built and designed between 1919 and 1922 by Paul Leclaire, the forty-five-meter-high Clock Tower marks the entrance to the port and is a memorial to sailors lost at sea in wartime. Its extremely precise clock mechanism was made in England by Gillett and Johnston, and is a replica of Big Ben in London. Like Big Ben, its accuracy is legendary, and sailors would set their own time pieces by it. The Clock Tower was the port’s timekeeper in an era when wrist watches were not yet common. With its powerful light, the tower also served as a lighthouse to guide incoming ships. The structure was originally designed to conceal the sheds that once lined the quays. Classified as a federal heritage building since 1996, the tower provides spectacular views of the St. Lawrence River and the city for those willing to climb its 192 steps to the top.

Photo by Jaime

4. Square Saint-Louis Located in the Plateau neighborhood, Square Saint-Louis will probably look familiar thanks to the many tourism posters and guidebook covers that display its image. The graystone Victorian row houses, with details in pink, purple, and other eye-popping hues, embody a certain Montréal attitude–grounded in history yet with a playful, contemporary edge. Laid out in 1876, the square has been described as one of Montréal's most beautiful due to its European elegance of tree-lined paths and fountains. Students of poetry may want to pay homage to Émile Nelligan, whose monument sits in the square’s southeast corner near the house on avenue Laval where he once lived.

Photo by Jim.henderson

6. ' D´art Contemporain de Montreal ' Musee Located in the heart of the Quartier des Spectacles, the Musée d’art contemporain de Montréal makes today’s art a vital part of Montréal and Québec life. For over fifty years, this vibrant museum has brought together local and international artists, their works and an ever growing public. It is a place of discovery, offering visitors experiences that are continually changing and new, and often unexpected and stirring. The Musée presents temporary exhibitions devoted to outstanding and relevant current artists who provide their own insight into society, as well as exhibitions of works drawn from the museum’s extensive collection. Every form of expression may be featured: digital and sound works, installations, paintings, sculptures, ephemeral pieces, and more. In addition to its wide range of educational activities familiarizing the general public with contemporary art, the Musée also organizes unique artistic performances and festive events. It is a window onto a myriad of avant-garde expressions that increase the exposure and awareness of art throughout the city and beyond. The Musée will undergo renovations to revitalize its building in the coming years to increase its capacity to show its collection and exhibitions and to welcome its visitors.

Photo by Thomas1313

7. St. Joseph's Oratory Founded by Saint André Bessette and Brother Abundius in 1904 as a small wayside shrine, Saint Joseph's Oratory was built by Dalbé Viau, Alphonse Venne, Dom Paul Bellot, and Lucien Parent over the course of five decades. Marked as a Minor Basilica in 1955 and completed in 1967, the Oratory is known today as the world’s largest shrine dedicated to Saint Joseph. Receiving over 2 million visitors yearly, they welcome everyone to partake in panoramic views, music concerts, and special religious celebrations. Located atop of Mount Royal in the heart of Montréal, come discover its natural, cultural, and spiritual treasures as you marvel at the Art Deco votive chapel containing 10,000 candles, the Oratory Museum featuring nativity scenes from around the world, the beautifully decorated Garden of the Way of Cross, the neoclassical Crypt Church, and North America’s largest domed Basilica.

Photo by Grebico

8. Bonsecours Market Inaugurated in 1847 as the Public Market, Marché Bonsecours is acknowledged as one of Canada's ten finest heritage buildings and has become an essential stop on any visit to Old Montréal. Headquarters to the Québec Crafts Council, the Marché houses 15 top-quality boutiques and restaurants that offer delicious local fare. Designed by William Footner in 1844 and refurbished by George Browne in 1852, Bonsecours Market is a monumental edifice that bears Canada’s colours, confirms Montréalers’ fine taste and magnanimity, and gives travelers an overwhelming image of Montréal’s beauty and importance. As Montreal’s principal public market for over one hundred years, Bonsecours Market served as a genuine reflection of Canada’s socioeconomic evolution as it changed in tune with technological advances, the public's varying tastes, and multiple demographic shifts. When it closed in 1963, it was still considered to be the "central" market, the point of contact between Montréal and its countryside. Now restored and renovated to meet the needs of the future, Bonsecours Market turns over a new page in its unfolding story.

Photo by Pymouss

10. Biosphere Mandated by the United States Information Agency in 1964, Richard Buckminster Fuller developed the geodesic dome as the structure for the United States Pavilion at Expo 67. The dynamic, free-standing structure is composed of cylindrical steel tubes sub-divided into side-by-side plastic covered triangles. This concept required a vastly smaller number of materials than conventional architectural designs of such magnitude. The Biosphere's structure reproduces over 75% of a sphere’s surface and is the largest building of its kind in the world. Fuller's work quickly became a symbol of Expo 67. After Expo 67, U.S. President Lyndon B. Johnson donated the United States Pavilion to Montréal. From 1968 to 1976, the Biosphere hosted exhibits, works of art, and a movie theatre. The scientific aspect was featured with animated activities on photosynthesis, soil conservation, and pollution problems in cities. In 1995, the Biosphere became a museum that promoted the environment and its protection. The renovation was carried out with Environment Canada, which has occupied the premises ever since.

Photo by Concierge.2C

12. Habitat 67 Designed by Moshe Safdie for Expo 67, Habitat 67 is Terre des Hommes/Man and His World’s official legacy and its only intact original pavilion. Located at Cité-du-Havre, a century-old artificial peninsula expanded for Expo 67, Habitat 67 enjoys breathtaking views of the river, downtown, and the Old Port of Montreal. In creating Habitat 67, Moshe Safdie wanted to offer a fragment of paradise for everyone. Located in the Cité-du-Havre, Habitat 67 benefits from an incomparable geographical location: in front of the river, downtown, and the Old Port of Montréal. Its terraces offer an unparalleled panorama: city lights, the silhouette of the bridges, the beauty of the maples, oaks, and poplars. Add to this idyllic atmosphere the gentle sound of the river and the Habitat 67 wave, the sea air, and the sky as far as the eye can see. Located near St. Helen’s Island, Old Montréal and the Casino de Montréal, this hybrid of quiet and hectic living redefines the urban residential experience with panache.

' ' 13. Pointe-a-Calliere Designated a national archaeological and historic site, Pointe-à-Callière presents centuries of history from the settlements of the First Peoples to the present day. Located on the site where Montréal was founded in 1642, the Museum is home to some remarkable architectural ruins. Inextricably connected to its site, the Museum owes its development to important archaeological discoveries made in Old Montréal in the 1980s. Founded in 1992, Pointe-à-Callière is Canada’s only major archaeological museum and Montréal’s largest history museum. Consisting of seven impressive pavilions and plenty of fascinating permanent exhibits, Pointe-à-Callière brings visitors to know and appreciate Montréal’s archaeological and historical heritage–making it a must see institution for anyone who visits or lives in Montréal!

Photo by Lëa-Kim Châteauneuf

14. Canadian Centre of Architecture Founded by Phyllis Lambert in 1979 and opened in 1989, the Canadian Centre for Architecture is an international research institution and museum premised on the belief that architecture is a public concern. Designated as an accredited museum by the Ministère des affaires culturelles du Québec, the CCA produces exhibits and publications, develops and shares their collection as a resource, advances research, offers public programs, and hosts a range of other activities driven by a curiosity about how architecture shapes contemporary life. The CCA has been built around the Shaughnessy House (illustration), which was saved from demolition by Phyllis Lambert. They invite collaborators and the public to engage with their activities, giving new relevance to architectural thinking in light of current disciplinary and cultural issues. Physically anchored in Montréal by their building, park, and sculpture garden, the CCA works within other contexts through their projects, programs, and collaborations that take place elsewhere.

Photo by Jiaqian AirplaneFan

15. ' Jardin Bontanique de Montreal Considered to be one of the city’s jewels, Jardin botanique de Montréal is recognized as one of the world’s greatest botanical gardens. Founded by Brother Marie-Victorin and Henry Teuscher in 1931, the Jardin became world-renowned in 1980 when it hosted the Floralies Internationales de Montréal. Spread out over 75 hectares, the Jardin takes visitors on a voyage through the plant world as it invites them to explore the gardens and the exhibition greenhouses, and to discover different cultures. With its collection of 22,000 plant species, 10 exhibition greenhouses, the Arboretum, the Frédéric Back Tree Pavilion, the Courtyard of the Senses, and the impressive Rose, Japanese, Chinese, First Nations, and Tea Gardens, it’s a perfect place to enjoy fresh air and natural beauty. Located just minutes from downtown Montréal near the Biodôme and Olympic Park, the Jardin botanique de Montréal is a veritable living museum of plants from the four corners of the globe. Have a nice visit!

Photo by Diego Delso

19. ' Notre Dame Basilica of Montreal As Montréal's mother church, Notre-Dame Basilica of Montréal is intimately tied into the city’s history. Designed by James O'Donnell and completed in 1829 as Canada’s first Gothic Revival church, its architectural style marked a turning point in the nation’s religious traditions. A place of prayer that bears witness to its Catholic foundations, Notre-Dame Basilica has always served as the theater of grand events that have marked Québécois’ imaginations. Since its founding, the basilica has been the site of major religious and cultural events like the funerals for Sir Georges Étienne Cartier, Pierre-Elliot Trudeau, and Maurice Richard, Pope John Paul II’s celebration of mass for children, and Céline Dion and René Angélil’s marriage ceremony. As a tourism hotspot, the Basilica welcomes nearly a million visitors from all over the world annually to become enthralled by the location’s beauty and explore Quebec’s religious history. Made into a minor basilica in 1982 by Pope John Paul II and designated a National Historic Site of Canada in 1989, its religious, historical, and artistic importance makes it one of the jewels of Québec’s heritage.

Photo by Eric L Tollstam

22. ' Old Montreal Home to the city's most historic and newest attractions, Old Montréal provides an unbeatable glimpse into city's many lives throughout its extensive history. While the memory of Jeanne Mance, Jacques Cartier, and de Maisonneuve can still be felt on the cobblestone streets, Old Montréal and the Old Port make up one of the city’s most constantly evolving and dynamic quarters, with attractions ranging from cathedrals and museums to an observation wheel and river cruises. Old Montréal is a district of contrasts. Alongside the Notre-Dame Basilica’s grace and the Bonsecours Market’s glistening dome awaits a wealth of cutting-edge design shops and forward-thinking restaurants. The riverside pathways that teem with joggers and cyclists throughout the day swell with strolling couples after the sun goes down. The area’s buildings transform nightly into glowing beacons with innovative lighting effects and the modern Grande Roue de Montréal Ferris wheel offers new vistas over a grand quartier nearly 400 years in the making.

Color Montréal is filled to the brim with the city's most iconic settings, like Olympic Stadium, the Biosphere, Square Saint-Louis, and Habitat 67, among many others.

Through its 24 beautiful black-and-white line drawings and detailed descriptions, “Color Montréal” masterfully highlights what makes this saintly city so special to its residents and visitors.