Canada House Sitting Photography travel

Montréal Sights

by peterpecksen
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We have had a fantastic month in Montréal and I thought I would take a break from packing to share some of the sights we have been treated to. The history and architecture here is amazing. It is a pleasure to see a city embrace its past and preserve its history as opposed to demolishing the old to make way for the new.

Though, unfortunately you can see depressing signs of wanting to hide the past simply because it offends the senses of those living in a different time, the removal of the statue of our first Prime Minister was a disappointment.

Other than that blemish in their behaviour toward our country’s history the rest of the time we were treated to a plethora of Canadian history.

The main branch of the Bank of Montréal, built in 1847 is a beautiful building facing the Notre-Dame Basilica across the Place d’Armes. I found the interior more impressive than the exterior.
The view from the steps of the Bank of Montréal on the Place d’Armes.
Completed in 1829, the Notre-Dame Basilica is probably the most iconic landmark in a city filled with them.
The interior of the Basilica is an incredible sight and dwarfs every other church we viewed in Montréal.
Though I do have to acknowledge the Mary Queen of the World Church for a solid second place. Modelled after St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome the designers did an outstanding job.
What is now the Sun Life Building was once the largest building in the British Empire. During World War 2 it was used to safety store the gold from a number of occupied European countries. It also highlights the diverse collection of architectural styles to be found in Montréal.
The view of downtown Montréal from the lookout on Mount Royal is dominated by the 1000 sq/m mural of Leonard Cohen.
The image seems to constantly pop into view as one wanders around the core of the city.
We were thrilled when we realized that this beautiful old stone train station was the location of the Montréal Beer Festival. Two birds with one stone.
Karen endured an evening walking around the Old Port while I played with some night photography. La Grande Roue de Montréal is the tallest observation wheel in Canada at 60 metres. More importantly it makes for a fun photo opportunity.
It was nice to see the Thin Blue Line showing their presence up on Mount Royal. Beautiful horses and pleasant professional officers.

After four weeks of history, beautiful architecture, wonderful weather, and friendly helpful people we can honestly say this ranks as one of our favourite cities in Canada. Also I would be remiss if I did not mention the food and drink available to be explored. If you ever have the opportunity, set aside some time to come by and enjoy it.

Now, off to Ottawa.

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