Château Ramezay facts for kids
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| Established | 1705 |
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| Location | 280, rue Notre-Dame Est Montreal, Quebec H2Y 1C5 |
| Type | museum and historic building |
| Official name: Château De Ramezay / India House National Historic Site of Canada | |
| Designated: | 1949 |
| Type: | Monument historique classé |
| Designated: | 1929 |
The Château Ramezay is a very old building and a museum in Old Montreal, Quebec, Canada. You can find it on Notre-Dame Street, right across from Montreal City Hall.
This special building was first built in 1705. It was the home of Claude de Ramezay, who was the governor of Montreal at that time. The Château Ramezay was the very first building in Quebec to be officially called a historical monument. It is also the oldest private history museum in the province. In 1949, it was named a National Historic Sites of Canada.
Over many years, the Château Ramezay had different owners and was used for different things. Ramezay's family eventually sold the house to a company that traded furs, called the Compagnie des Indes.
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A Temporary Home for American Soldiers
From 1775, the Château Ramezay became the main office for the Continental Army in Canada. This was during the American Revolutionary War, when American soldiers were fighting for their independence. They took control of Montreal.
A very famous American, Benjamin Franklin, even stayed overnight at the Château in 1776. He was trying to get people to join the American side in the war.
Home for British Governors
After the Americans left, the British took over. The Château Ramezay became a home for the British governors until 1849. It was officially known as Government House. This was the governor's official home in Montreal. They also had another home in Quebec City called the Chateau St. Louis, and a country house in Sorel.
A Place for Learning: The University
In 1878, the building opened its doors to students! It became the first home for the Université de Montréal's Faculty of Medicine. This means it was where future doctors learned their skills.
Becoming a Museum Today
In 1894, a group called the Numismatic and Antiquarian Society of Montreal bought the building. They turned it into a history museum and a place to display portraits. Sir Andrew Taylor, an architect, helped design changes to the Château in 1895 to make it suitable for a museum.
Today, the museum has a huge collection of about 30,000 items. Most of these items were given as gifts by people from Montreal. The collection includes old papers, books, coins, items from different cultures, artworks, paintings, prints, and furniture.
Between 1997 and 2002, the Château Ramezay was carefully fixed up, both inside and out. A special area called the Governor's Garden was created and opened in 2000. In 2003, the Château Ramezay Museum won a big award for its garden design. More than a million people have visited this amazing place!
See also
In Spanish: Castillo Ramezay para niños
