Montreal was founded in 1642 and a few buildings are still standing across the island that really reflect how old the city actually is.
There are a couple of buildings and structures spread out across Montreal that were built in the late 1600s and some that are still in use from the late 1800s.
Old Montreal indeed.
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With help from Canada’s Historic Places, here are the churches, farmhouses, cabins, and cemeteries that make up the 10 oldest buildings in Montreal.
1. Maison Le Ber – Le Moyne (351 years old)
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Address: 1 du Musée Road, Lachine
Year built: 1671
Architects: Jacques Le Ber and Charles Le Moyne
Originally built as a trading post, the Maison Le Ber is the oldest building in Montreal. It survived the 1689 Lachine Massacre and was acquired by the City of Lachine in 1948 and now serves as a historical landmark for the City of Montreal.
2. Saint-Sulpice Seminary (335 years old)
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Address: 130 Notre-Dame Ouest
Year built: 1687
Architects: François Dollier de Casson
Montreal’s second-oldest structure was declared a National Historic Site of Canada in 1980. Located in the Ville-Marie borough of Old Montreal, this classic U-shaped building features a timeless clock, garden, and stunning photo ops.
3. Fort de la Montagne (328 years old)
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Address: 2065 Sherbrooke Ouest
Year built: 1694
Architects: François Vachon de Belmont
The Fort de la Montagne (also called Fort des Messieurs or Fort Belmont) was built in 1694 as bastions of the fort. While parts were demolished in the mid-19th century, the 13-metre-high stone towers are still viewable from Sherbrooke Street.
4. Maison Saint-Gabriel (324 years old)
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Address: 2146 Dublin Place, Pointe-Saint-Charles
Year built: 1698
Architect: Victor Depocas
This gorgeous farmhouse has been preserved by the Congregation of Notre-Dame and maintains the history, heritage, and artifacts of the settlers of New France in the mid-17th century.
5. Molson Brewery (236 years old)
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Address: 1555 Notre-Dame Street East
Year built: 1786
Architect: Unknown
One of the most iconic landmarks of the city, the Molson Brewery maintains some of its Molson Coors operations alongside the St. Lawrence River.
6. Notre-Dame Basilica (193 years old)
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Address: 110 Notre-Dame Ouest
Year built: 1829
Architect: James O’Donnell
Montreal’s Notre-Dame Basilica was the largest church in North America when it opened in 1829. The church is still in operation today, nearly 200 years after it was erected.
7. McGill University Arts Building (183 years old)
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Address: 845 Sherbrooke Ouest
Year built: 1839
Architect: John Ostell
Set against the backdrop of Mont-Royal, the Arts Building was the first building on what is now a vast McGill campus.
8. Montreal City Hall (144 years old)
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Address: 275 Notre-Dame Est
Year built: 1878
Architects: Alexander Cowper Hutchison and Henri-Maurice Perrault
Montreal’s City Hall was the first building in Canada to serve exclusively as the city hall. The original exterior has been retained and the building is still in use today.
9. St. James United Church (133 years old)
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Address: 463 Ste-Catherine Ouest
Year built: 1889
Architect: Alexander Francis Dunlop
This timeless church’s Gothic Revival facade was once hidden behind a commercial building on Ste. Cat but was finally returned to public viewing in 2005 when the building in front was demolished.
10. The Bay (131 years old)
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Address: 585 Ste-Catherine Ouest
Year built: 1891
Architect: John Pearce Hill
The Bay is one of downtown Montreal’s most iconic buildings and it’s been planted on the corner of Ste. Catherine and Union for 130 years.
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