Map of Quebec (35)

Les Cours Mont-Royal is an upscale shopping mall located in downtown Montreal, Quebec, transformed from the former Mount Royal Hotel. Originally designed by the architectural firm Ross and Macdonald, the ten-story, 1,036-room Mount Royal Hotel was once the largest hotel in the British Empire and opened in 1922, aiming to attract high-class tourists with its Beaux-Arts architecture. Other notable Montreal buildings by Ross and Macdonald include Holt Renfrew, the Montreal Neurological Institute, and the Dominion Square Building.In 1950, the hotel was sold to Sheraton Hotels and renamed the Sheraton-Mt. Royal Hotel in 1951. The hotel operated under Sheraton until March 31, 1982, when the nearby Le Centre Sheraton Hotel replaced it. The Mount Royal Hotel closed in 1984 and underwent a $140 million renovation to become a mixed-use complex, reopening in 1988 as Les Cours Mont-Royal. The complex now houses a shopping mall in the lower levels and basement, luxury condos on the upper floors, and office space in between.The mall’s interior features the original hotel lobby, adorned with a large chandelier from the Monte Carlo casino, and its shopping area is arranged around four open courts. Highlights include six bird-human sculptures by Inuit artist David Ruben Piqtoukun under the main skylight, as well as luxury amenities like Spa Diva, Montreal's largest spa, and a medical clinic. Les Cours Mont-Royal is connected to Peel metro station through Montreal’s underground city.

The Windsor Hotel, a landmark in Montreal’s history, opened in 1878 and became Canada’s first grand hotel. Initially funded by a consortium of prominent Montreal businessmen, including photographer William Notman, it quickly became a social and business center for the city, hosting notable figures like John A. Macdonald, Mark Twain, and Oscar Wilde. In 1889, it gained a prime connection to the Windsor Station, enhancing its status as Montreal’s social hub.Over the years, it expanded to include a new wing, the Windsor Annex, complete with the renowned 'Peacock Alley,' named for its stained glass. The hotel played a key role in Montreal’s social life, hosting events like the annual St. Andrew’s Society Ball and even the 1917 meeting that founded the National Hockey League. Despite its success, the hotel faced two devastating fires, one in 1906 and another in 1957, which led to the demolition of the original structure. Only the North Annex survived, which continued operating until competition forced the hotel’s closure in 1981.In 1987, the Windsor Hotel was transformed into 'Le Windsor,' an office building that houses key tenants like Valeurs mobilières Desjardins and the Bronfman family’s Claridge offices. Its historic ballrooms and Peacock Alley were preserved and remain available for events, offering a glimpse into the hotel’s former grandeur. Recent renovations have enhanced the building while maintaining its architectural features, with event spaces available for rent and ongoing restorations respecting its rich heritage.

Dorchester Square, originally Dominion Square, is a large urban square in downtown Montreal, covering over 21,000 m² alongside Place du Canada. It is bounded by René Lévesque Boulevard, Peel Street, Metcalfe Street, and Dorchester Square Street, and serves as a 24-hour public space that attracts significant pedestrian traffic. Initially built between 1872 and 1892, it was adorned with statues arranged to form a Union Jack and later underwent a $14-million redesign in 2010 to enhance its aesthetics and lighting.Originally, the square was a green space and meeting area that included the Catholic Sainte-Antoine Cemetery. By the late 19th century, the area evolved, becoming a prestigious address as developments like the Windsor Hotel and Mary, Queen of the World were constructed. The completion of Windsor Station and later the Sun Life Building reinforced the square's importance as a central urban hub, connecting commercial and retail districts.In 1967, the square was divided, with the southern portion named Place du Canada. After René Lévesque’s death, Dorchester Boulevard was renamed in his honor, while the northern section became Dorchester Square, named after Guy Carleton, 1st Baron Dorchester. In 2015, a Victorian-inspired fountain by Claude Cormier + Associés was installed at the northern end of the park, along with a sculpture of a pileated woodpecker.

Saint Patrick's Basilica (French: Basilique Saint-Patrick de Montréal) is a Roman Catholic minor basilica located on René-Lévesque Boulevard in Downtown Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Known for its historical ties to the Irish-Canadian community, the basilica celebrated its 150th anniversary in 1997. Originally, French-speaking Catholics congregated at the Notre-Dame-de-Bon-Secours church in Old Montreal, but a surge of Irish immigrants around 1817 led to overcrowding. By 1825, the growing congregation was relocated to the Church of the Recollets, yet by 1841, the community had grown to 6,500, necessitating a larger space.The site for Saint Patrick’s was purchased, and construction commenced in September 1843. Situated on a slope overlooking the neighborhoods of Point St. Charles, Goose Village, and Griffintown, Saint Patrick's became Montreal’s oldest English-speaking Roman Catholic church. Its first mass took place on March 17, 1847, St. Patrick’s Day. The church’s initial organ, built by Samuel Russell Warren in 1850, was later followed by organists like Adélard Joseph Boucher and Joseph-A. Fowler.On December 10, 1985, the Quebec government declared Saint Patrick’s a historic monument, and in 1996, it was designated a National Historic Site of Canada. Elevated to a minor basilica by Pope John Paul II on St. Patrick's Day in 1989, the Gothic Revival structure—designed by P. L. Morin and Father Felix Martin—stands 71 meters long and 32 meters wide, with a steeple reaching 69 meters.Inside, French fleur-de-lys and Irish shamrock motifs adorn the heavily decorated interior. The 25-meter columns are crafted from white oak encased in marble, and the church has three altars, four rosette stained-glass windows by New York artist Alex S. Locke, and 150 saintly oil paintings. The Casavant Frères pipe organ, installed in 1895, is fully electropneumatic.Decorative additions by artists Guido Nincheri in 1922 and Victor Marion in 1931 enhanced the church. A unique 1,800-pound sanctuary lamp, installed in 1896, is North America's only one of its kind, with six angels standing two meters tall.St. Patrick's Chimes, a ten-bell set, includes the oldest bell, 'Charlotte,' cast in 1774. The bells were restored in 1989, and the organ has been rebuilt several times since its installation in 1852, incorporating elements from St. Antony's Church in 1972. Four major restorations have taken place, most recently costing $5 million, with $1.4 million from the Quebec Government.Two famous parishioners are honored inside: Pew 240 marks where Thomas D’Arcy McGee, a Father of Confederation, once sat, and a plaque at the rear commemorates poet Émile Nelligan’s baptism on Christmas Day 1879.The basilica stands at 460 René-Lévesque Boulevard West, at Saint-Alexandre Street, accessible from the Square-Victoria-OACI or Place-des-Arts metro stations in downtown Montreal.

The Montreal Casino (French: Casino de Montréal), located on Notre Dame Island in Montreal, Quebec, is the largest casino in Canada. It opened on October 9, 1993, and operates seven days a week, from morning until late night. The casino is housed in two former Expo 67 pavilions within Jean-Drapeau Park on Notre Dame Island—a man-made island in the St. Lawrence River created for the 1967 World’s Fair. It shares the island with the Gilles Villeneuve racing circuit, the Olympic Basin, and an artificial lake with a small beach.Owned and operated by the Société des casinos du Québec (a subsidiary of Loto-Québec), the casino’s profits support the Government of Quebec. By 2019, it employed around 2,800 people. Visitors can access the casino via the De la Concorde bridge from Cité du Havre or by taking public transit to Jean Drapeau Metro station on nearby Saint Helen’s Island and then boarding a connecting bus.Founded in 1992 with a $95 million investment, the Montreal Casino was the first of several casinos established by the Société des casinos du Québec. It replaced the Palais des civilisations, formerly the Quebec Pavilion during Expo 67, and annexed the nearby France Pavilion via a bridge. Upon opening, the casino attracted thousands of visitors and reached 780,000 guests in its first year, initially employing 700 people.The casino underwent significant changes over the years: it expanded in 1993, became a 24-hour facility in 1997, and adopted a non-smoking policy in 2003. A major renovation in 2013 included the addition of a digital wall spanning three floors, created with Moment Factory. In 2014, the casino introduced 'The Zone,' a new interactive gaming area. Following the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, the casino adjusted its hours, closing at 3 AM on weekdays and 5 AM on weekends. In 2021, its fine-dining restaurant, L'Atelier de Joël Robuchon, closed permanently.

Habitat 67, often simply known as Habitat, is a housing complex located at Cité du Havre on the Saint Lawrence River in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. It was designed by Israeli-Canadian-American architect Moshe Safdie, originating as his master's thesis at McGill University's School of Architecture. An amended version was built for Expo 67, the World’s Fair held from April to October 1967, and is situated at 2600 Avenue Pierre-Dupuy, near the Marc-Drouin Quay. Habitat 67 is widely regarded as an architectural landmark in Montreal.Initially conceived as part of Safdie’s architecture thesis, the project gained attention but faced controversy, highlighted by its failure to win the Pilkington Prize, a top thesis award for Canadian architecture students. After working briefly with Louis Kahn in Philadelphia, Safdie was invited by his former thesis advisor, Sandy van Ginkel, to join the master planning team for Expo 67. Safdie proposed his thesis design as one of the pavilions, and after receiving approval from officials in Ottawa, including Minister Mitchell Sharp and Prime Minister Lester B. Pearson, he was granted permission by Expo’s Director of Installations, Edward Churchill, to focus exclusively on Habitat 67 as an independent architect. Montreal-based Anglin-Norcross Ltd. completed the construction, despite Safdie’s youth and limited experience—a chance he described as 'an amazing fairy tale.'While the initial vision for Habitat 67 involved constructing 1,200 units at an estimated cost of $45 million, funding limitations allowed for only a scaled-down version, built at around CA$22.4 million, funded by the federal government. In 1985, tenants of Habitat 67 formed a limited partnership to purchase the building from the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation, and they remain its owners. Habitat 67 was commemorated in 2017 by Canada Post with a special stamp for its 50th anniversary, symbolizing its enduring legacy.From June 1 to August 13, 2017, the Centre de Design at Université du Québec à Montréal hosted an exhibition titled 'Habitat '67 vers l'avenir / The Shape of Things to Come', which displayed archival materials alongside conceptual drawings and models, offering insights into both built and unbuilt aspects of the project.As a defining symbol of Expo 67, which attracted over 50 million visitors, Habitat 67 earned global recognition as a 'fantastic experiment' and an 'architectural wonder.' Although it did not lead to a wave of modular affordable housing as Safdie had envisioned, it successfully redefined urban living and launched Safdie's distinguished career, which now includes over 75 architectural projects worldwide. His continued focus on high-density housing and social integration in architecture remains synonymous with his work. However, some have critiqued Habitat 67 as a 'failed dream' due to its limited impact on affordable housing solutions.In 2023, Safdie Architects partnered with Epic Games to recreate Safdie’s original, larger vision of Habitat 67 in Unreal Engine, allowing the world to visualize the full scale of his pioneering design.

The Maison Saint-Gabriel Museum in Montreal, Quebec, preserves the history, heritage, and artifacts of New France’s settlers from the mid-17th century. This museum, which includes a historic farmhouse, has been maintained for over 300 years by the Sisters of the Congregation of Notre Dame of Montreal, an order founded by Marguerite Bourgeoys in 1658.In 1662, Paul de Chomedey de Maisonneuve granted land in Pointe-Saint-Charles to Bourgeoys to establish a farm that would support the congregation's mission. Over time, this farm became a vital resource, initially providing food and support for the Congregation and later serving as a preparatory school for young women and the Filles du Roi (King’s Daughters), who were recruited to settle in New France.In 1693, the original farmhouse burned down, but it was rebuilt using surviving foundations, and its structure retained 17th-century architectural features. Through the 18th century, the Congregation expanded the farm by acquiring more land, constructing stables, barns, and a chicken coop. By the 19th century, farm-raised animals were essential to producing various goods like butter, wool, and soap.As Montreal grew, urban expansion eventually reduced the farm’s land. However, interest in preserving the farmhouse and its history culminated in its restoration in the 1960s, with efforts led by architect Victor Depocas. The goal was to conserve the house's historic walls and recreate the living conditions of the early Sisters. This restoration included the kitchen, common room, chapel, and dormitories, each carefully outfitted with artifacts to evoke life in 17th-century New France.Today, the museum hosts costumed interpreters, demonstrations of 17th-century crafts, and gardens inspired by traditional horticulture. Its extensive collection of 15,000 artifacts includes original and reproduced domestic objects, religious attire, correspondence materials, and trade tools. The Jeanne-Leber house, now part of the museum complex, houses a gift shop and a room for cultural activities, providing visitors with an immersive historical experience and connecting them to the legacy of Marguerite Bourgeoys and the Congregation of Notre Dame.

Le Ber-Le Moyne House, or Maison Le Ber-Le Moyne in French, is Montreal's oldest intact building, constructed between 1669 and 1671. Situated in the borough of Lachine along the Saint Lawrence River, between the Lachine Rapids and Lake Saint-Louis, it was designated a National Historic Site of Canada on June 19, 2002. The house and its archaeological collection have also been recognized as heritage assets by Quebec’s ministère de la Culture et des communications since 2001.Originally built as a fur trading post between 1669 and 1687, the house was constructed on land once owned by French explorer René-Robert Cavelier de La Salle. Wealthy merchants Jacques Le Ber and Charles Le Moyne purchased the property in 1667 to control the primary trade routes around Lake Saint-Louis. Records suggest that the building ceased to serve as a trading post between 1680 and 1685, making it the last surviving structure associated with Charles Le Moyne’s career.After Le Moyne’s death in 1685, his widow, Catherine Primot, sold the property in 1687 to Guillemot dit Lalande, who abandoned it in 1689 following the Massacre of Lachine. Marguerite Chorel, wife of Guillaume de Lorimier, acquired it in 1695 and resided there until her death in 1736. Her family continued to occupy the house until it was sold in 1765 to Irish innkeeper Hugh Heney, who modernized it but never lived there himself, leasing it to tenants instead.By 1844, the property was significantly diminished due to the expansion of the Lachine Canal. It was acquired by retired Colonel Edward P. Wilgress, and during this period, several artworks captured its transformation, including Frances A. Hopkin’s 'Wilgress House and Garden, Lachine' and J.E. Taylor’s 'The Cottage, Lachine.' The house became the summer residence of the Curie family after merchant William Curie purchased it in 1901.In the 1940s, Lachine Mayor Anatole Carignan recognized the historical importance of the Le Ber-Le Moyne House, leading to the City of Lachine’s purchase in 1946 for $25,000. The building was converted into the Manoir Lachine Museum, which opened to the public on June 24, 1948. A fish hatchery with rearing ponds and aquariums was added to the site in the early 1950s, drawing public interest, but the hatchery closed in 1962.The museum underwent major restoration in the 1980s to reveal the original stone walls and beams, removing 1950s additions and restoring the house to its 17th-century appearance. Archaeological digs conducted between 1998-2000 and 2009-2010 by the firm Archéotec unearthed around 32,000 artifacts, documenting various phases of the site’s history, including pottery shards and tools that confirm a Native American presence dating back 2,000 to 2,500 years.Today, the Le Ber-Le Moyne House is part of the Musée de Lachine, which includes the heritage site, an archaeological collection, 17th-century buildings, and a sculpture garden known as the Musée plein air de Lachine. The garden, one of Canada’s largest, features works by artists such as Bill Vazan, Ulysse Comtois, Marcel Barbeau, Michel Goulet, and Linda Covit. In addition to historical exhibits, the Musée de Lachine also hosts contemporary art exhibitions each year.Located 6 kilometers (4 miles) from Angrignon Metro station, the museum is accessible via the 110 and 195 buses operated by the Société de transport de Montréal, with a travel time of approximately 40 minutes.The Le Ber-Le Moyne House exemplifies French Colonial architecture, notable for its cedar-shingled roof and absence of dormers.

The Sir George-Étienne Cartier Monument, created by sculptor George William Hill (1862–1934), stands in Montreal's Mount Royal Park, Quebec, Canada. Inaugurated on September 6, 1919, on the west side of Fletcher’s Field, the monument is crowned by a winged Goddess of Liberty. It hosts weekly Tam-Tams, a popular drum circle festival, during warmer months.The monument’s front (East side) features a statue of George-Étienne Cartier, elevated above figures representing the four founding provinces of the Canadian Confederation of 1867.On the North side, a woman with a young girl and boy by her sides holds a sword while the boy stretches out his bound wrists and the girl reads, symbolizing Legislation.The South side mirrors this scene with a woman seated between a boy holding a globe and a girl reading, symbolizing Cartier’s contributions to education.

The Victoria Bridge (French: Pont Victoria), initially named the Victoria Jubilee Bridge, is a historically significant bridge that crosses the St. Lawrence River, connecting Montreal, Quebec, to the southern city of Saint-Lambert. Opened in 1859, it was designed by British engineer Robert Stephenson, son of George Stephenson, and was notable as the first bridge to span the St. Lawrence River, facilitating year-round travel across the waterway for the first time in Canadian history.The original bridge was a tubular iron structure made from prefabricated wrought iron sections shipped from England, built by the British engineering firm Peto, Brassey, and Betts. The bridge was part of a grand vision tied to the Grand Trunk Railway's mission to connect the Great Lakes region to an Atlantic port in Portland, Maine. This ambitious project had the support of the colonial government of the United Province of Canada, as they sought to create a major commercial artery linking the interior of the continent with ocean access.When it was inaugurated by Albert Edward, Prince of Wales, in 1860, the bridge was the longest in the world. Its initial structure, a long iron tube, was constructed between 1854 and 1859. At the height of its construction, more than 3,000 workers were involved in assembling the bridge, using six steamboats, 72 barges, and four locomotive engines at a total cost of $6.6 million. The bridge’s tubular structure allowed for a single rail track, enabling efficient freight and passenger rail service. However, with time, the tubular design proved limiting as rail traffic and structural demands grew.In 1897, the bridge underwent a major reconstruction to accommodate increasing traffic. The original tubular structure was replaced with a wider metal truss bridge, allowing for a double-track rail, a roadway for vehicles, and space for pedestrians. This renovation also made room for an electric tram line, and the bridge was rededicated as the Victoria Jubilee Bridge in celebration of Queen Victoria’s Diamond Jubilee. Remarkably, the bridge's original masonry piers, slightly modified, supported the new structure with only minor alterations, underscoring the durability of the original engineering.Today, the Victoria Bridge continues to play an essential role in Montreal’s infrastructure. At nearly 3 kilometers (1.9 miles) long, it serves both rail and road traffic, with the central lane dedicated to Canadian National Railway trains, while Route 112 runs on the outer lanes on either side. The bridge is a key segment in CN’s mainline between Halifax and Montreal, helping to cement Montreal's position as a crucial North American rail hub.The 1958 addition of the St. Lambert Diversion as part of the St. Lawrence Seaway project allowed for an alternate route across the bridge during times when ships pass underneath the main span. This secondary bridge includes both rail and roadway access and provides a diversion to avoid delays.Traffic patterns across the bridge vary based on the time of day, supporting the daily commuter flow between Montreal and Saint-Lambert. From 5:00 a.m. to 9:00 a.m., both lanes are allocated for northbound traffic, accommodating the morning rush into Montreal. In the evening, from 3:00 p.m. to 7:15 p.m., both lanes switch to southbound traffic to facilitate the return commute. At other times, the bridge offers one lane in each direction. Due to its age and structural constraints, access to the bridge is restricted to lighter vehicles, with only Longueuil’s special bus route 55 allowed to cross. Larger vehicles and trucks are diverted to the nearby Champlain and Jacques-Cartier bridges due to the Victoria Bridge’s narrow lanes and low clearance.After decades of reliable service, the bridge remains an enduring symbol of Victorian-era engineering and Canadian railway history, as well as a vital conduit in Montreal’s urban and commercial landscape.