While Montreal is no stranger to beautiful churches, the Notre-Dame Basilica is certainly one of the city’s most iconic and breathtaking landmarks.
Located in Old Montreal’s historic district, any local can recognize the basilica’s structure and signature blue hues in a heartbeat. But how much do you really know about the old church?
Here are seven fascinating facts about the historic Gothic masterpiece.
It’s nearly 200 years old
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The cornerstone of Notre-Dame was laid in 1824 to replace the Church of Notre-Dame which opened in 1683. It took decades to complete, though. Construction on the bell towers finally concluded in the latter half of the 19th century.
It’s one of North America’s top monuments
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With over 11 million visitors a year, Notre-Dame is one of the continent’s most popular monuments. To put things into perspective Notre-Dame de Paris gets about 12 million.
Host to some major events
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Over the years, the basilica has held its fair share of major events including Celine Dion’s wedding, and the funeral of Quebec icons like Pierre Elliot Trudeau and Maurice Richard.
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It has a 7,000-pipe organ
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The four-keyboard Casavant Frères pipe organ found inside Notre-Dame has 92 stops and 7,000 pipes. It’s also over 130 years old.
The windows do not depict the Bible
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Scenes from Montreal’s past are depicted in the windows on the church’s west side, while images from prominent parishioners’ lives are displayed in the windows on the east side. The cartoons were created by Quebec artist Jean-Baptiste Lagacé while the stained glass was crafted in France.
It is a National Historic Site
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In 1982, Pope John Paul II promoted it to the status of a minor basilica, and in 1989, it was designated as National Historic Site.
The bells mirror London’s famous clock tower
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From 9 am to 6 pm, the bells ring every hour, adding one ring each hour. The tune you hear is the same one played by Big Ben in London’s Westminster Carillon.
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