Who woulda thunk that Old Montreal is bustling with history? As such, it’s only fitting that the city’s oldest statue can be found right in the middle of the timeless neighbourhood.
Situated at the north end of Place Jacques-Cartier, one of the city’s most important landmarks has been standing tall over Old Montreal for 213 years.
Nelson’s Column or Monument Ć Nelson is Montreal’s oldest statue and it’s a must-see.
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When the monument was initially erected in 1809, the site was one of the largest squares in Montreal. Then known as the New Market, the public square was considered to be Montreal’s city core.
Nelson’s Column stands a remarkable 169 feet high (from the base to the top of the statue’s head) and is made out of limestone, concrete, and sandstone.
The monument was erected in memory of Admiral Horatio Nelson to commemorate his victories at the Battle of Trafalgar on October 21, 1805.
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Nelson is dressed in his admiral’s uniform ā which might be tough to see from the ground ā and he wears all of the insignia with which he was decorated.
His right foot points forward, he’s holding a spyglass, and the sleeve on his missing arm (the right) is folded over his chest.
Take note the sailor statue is also not facing the St. Lawrence River or the bustling town square but instead, he’s looking up towards Mont-Royal (which would have been more visible at the time it was erected).
A photo of the early days of the monument and the busy town square can be found below, from around 1930.
The statue itself was constructed by a committee of Montreal citizens in 1809 and is the oldest war monument in all of Canada.
Place Jacques-Cartier, circa 1930 (McCord Museum)
Robert Sproule/McCord Museum
The 8-foot statue at the top of the column is actually a replica of the original that can be found at theĀ Centre dāhistoire de MontrĆ©al.
Before you trek down to the Old Port to check out the historic statue itself ā now with a bit more context ā here’s how majestic it still looks in the virtual world:
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