Notre-Dame Basilica

Notre-Dame Basilica of Montreal at 110 Rue Notre-Dame Ouest stands at the edge of Place d'Armes in Old Montreal and is widely regarded as one of the finest examples of Gothic Revival architecture in North America. Designed by Irish-American architect James O'Donnell and completed in 1829, the building seats 3,200 people beneath a vault of deep azure blue studded with gold stars. Every interior surface is covered in hand-carved wood painted and gilded to resemble stone, creating an effect of extraordinary density and craftsmanship. The carved reredos behind the main altar depicts scenes from the lives of Ville-Marie's founders; the ten side chapels along the nave each contain distinct stained glass windows narrating episodes from Montreal's religious and civic history. The Casavant Frères pipe organ, installed in 1891 and expanded to its current 7,000 pipes in 1983, remains one of the largest mechanical organs in North America. The Sacred Heart Chapel at the rear of the basilica, rebuilt in 1982 after a fire, incorporates a striking contemporary bronze reredos by artist Charles Daudelin beside the restored historic vaulting. The AURA Montreal immersive light show, projected onto the interior walls and ceiling in evening sessions, is booked separately from daytime visits. Admission is charged even during regular visiting hours outside of mass times; photography is permitted throughout.