This article was published on October 7th, 2012
One of the most notable and iconic buildings in Montreal is the Notre Dame Basilica. Located at 110 Notre-Dame Street, at the corner of Saint Sulpice Street in Old Montreal, the gothic revival cathedral is a must-see for any visitor to the city.
The exterior is beautiful masonry, statues, and towers. The interior is elegantly decorated with detailed woodcarvings and exquisite religious figures. The deep blue ceiling has golden stars. Rich azures, reds, purples, silver and gold colours add to the regal interior.
The giant stained glass windows depict scenes from the religious history of Montreal.
High above, at the rear of the sanctuary is a Casavant Freres pipe organ from 1891. It has four keyboards, 92 stops, 7,000 individual pipes and a pedal board.
Notable and high profile events to take place at Notre Dame in recent memory include the October 3, 2000 state funeral of Pierre Elliot Trudeau, the 15th Prime Minster of Canada, and the December 17, 1994 wedding of Canadian singer, Celine Dion, to Rene Angelil.
Entry to Notre Dame Basilica is $5 per person. It is free to attend mass.
A special sound and light show detailing the history of the cathedral is held Tuesday through Thursday evenings. Tickets are $10 for adults.
