Churches

Montreal has dozens of churches, old and new, but there are some very famous ones you should visit. When you go into any church, please remember that some people may be praying in the church, so please be quiet and respect their religion.

Notre Dame Basilica

Notre Dame is probably the most beautiful church in Montreal. Thousands of tourists go inside to see the wonderful decoration and wood carving. It is a masterpiece of neo-Gothic architecture. It is at Place d'Armes in Old Montreal. It was finished in 1843, and it is used for weddings and funerals of important or famous people. For example, Celine Dion was married in this church in 1994. It is also used for classical music and organ concerts.

Notre-Dame Basilica

To enter the church, you have to pay $5 for admission. The church uses the money to help pay to keep the church beautiful.

  • 116 Notre Dame West; Metro Place d'Armes (orange) Map

    • Mary, Queen of the World Cathedral

    Mary Queen of the World Cathedral is the cathedral of Montreal, which means it is the most important Catholic church in the city. It was finished in 1894, and it is a 1/3-size copy of Saint Peter's Cathedral in Rome, which is the church where the Pope works. The statues on the front are statues of saints representing the 13 parishes of Montreal. The inside is very beautiful, and it is a very close copy of the original church in Italy. Admission is free. The church is downtown, near the Queen Elizabeth Hotel, the Sun Life Building, and Dorchester Square park.

  • 1085 Cathedral Street (corner of René-Lévesque West); Metro Peel Map

    • Mary Queen of the World Cathedral

    Saint Joseph's Oratory

    Saint Joseph's OratorySt. Joseph's Oratory is a very large church built on the north side of Mount Royal. It is the largest church in Canada and one of the largest in North America. It was started in 1904 by Brother André, and was finally finished in 1967. It was built as an oratory, which means a church for singing, so it is often used for choral concerts. The sound inside is incredible.

    Brother André is an important religious person in Quebec. He died in 1937, and many people pray to him to ask him to help them get better from their illnesses. He became a saint in 2010. Many people believe Brother André cured their problem. At the church, there are many crutches and canes of people who say Brother André helped them to get better. In front of the church, there is a long wooden stairway. It is not for walking on. It is for people who want to climb to the church on their knees.

  • 3800 Queen Mary Road; Metro Côte-des-Neiges (blue) or take bus 166 from Metro Guy-Concordia Map

    • Notre-Dame-de-Bonsecours Chapel

    Notre Dame de BonsecoursNotre-Dame-de-Bonsecours Chapel is a small church near Bonsecours Market in Old Montreal. It is sometimes called the Sailor's Church because the back end of it looks like a sailing ship from the 18th century, and inside, the decoration includes smalls ships hanging from the ceiling. It has beautiful paintings on the walls inside. The church was built in 1771 after the original church burned, and it has a museum about Saint Marguerite Bourgeoys, a religious woman who worked hard to help the poor and sick in the early days of Montreal.

  • 400 Saint Paul Street East; Metro Champs-de-Mars Map

    • Image of Notre-Dame Basilica courtesy Diliff, Wikimedia Commons
    Image of Mary Queen of the World courtesy Jeangagnon, Wikimedia Commons
    Image of Saint Joseph's Oratory courtesy Paolo Costa Baldi, Wikimedia Commons
    Image of Notre-Dame de Bonsecours courtesy Jeangagnon, Wikimedia Commons