Grey Nuns Motherhouse facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Grey Nuns Motherhouse |
|
|---|---|
 |
|
| Location | 1190 Guy Street, Quartier Concordia |
| Area | Montreal, Quebec, Canada |
| Built | 1871 |
| Built for | Grey Nuns |
| Architectural style(s) | Neoclassical and Romanesque Revival |
| Owner | Concordia University |
|
Invalid designation
|
|
| Official name: National Historic Sites of Canada | |
| Designated | 2011 |
The Grey Nuns Motherhouse, now called the Grey Nuns Building, is a historic site in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. It used to be the main home for a group of religious sisters known as the Grey Nuns. The building is located at 1190 Guy Street in the Ville-Marie area. It was finished in 1871.
In 2007, Concordia University bought the building. They fixed it up and now it's a home for nearly 600 university students. It's part of the Quartier Concordia project, which is helping to improve the neighborhood.
Deep in the basement, there's a special room called a crypt. It holds the graves of 276 people, mostly Grey Nuns. One famous person buried there was Mother Marie-Marguerite d'Youville. She was the first Canadian-born person to become a saint. In 2010, her remains were moved to her hometown of Varennes.
In 2011, the Grey Nuns Motherhouse was named one of the National Historic Sites of Canada. This means it's a very important place in Canadian history.
Contents
History of the Building
This large building was built in the 1800s. It was meant to be the main house for the Sisters of Charity of Montreal. This group of Catholic religious sisters is more commonly known as the Grey Nuns. They were founded in 1737 by Saint Marguerite d'Youville.
Who Built It?
Many talented people helped design and build this impressive structure. Here are some of the key individuals involved:
- Alcibiade Leporhon, architect
- Joseph Venne, architect
- Victor Bourgeau, architect
- Maurice Perrault and Albert Ménard, architect
- Alphonse Piché, architect
- Maurice Payette, architect
- Albert Deschamps, engineer
What Does It Look Like?
The building sits on a rectangular piece of land. It is surrounded by stone walls and metal fences. The main building is very large and shaped like the letter "H". It is made of stone. There are also smaller buildings and lovely grounds with trees, gardens, and statues.
The building's design is a great example of 19th-century convent architecture. It mixes two styles: Neoclassical and Romanesque Revival.
The main building has four floors. The west side of the building is even taller, with five floors. In the middle of the building, there is a chapel. This chapel has an eight-sided tower and a tall, pointed spire. The windows and roof dormers are placed in a neat, even pattern.
A Home for Students
Now, Concordia University calls this place the Grey Nuns Building. It has become a student residence. In 2007, the university bought the building for $18 million. They spent another $15 million to renovate and update it.
The university first thought about making it an arts faculty building. But later, they decided to turn it into student housing. It now provides a home for 598 undergraduate students. It's a co-ed residence, meaning both male and female students live there.
The main entrance, which used to be on St-Mathieu Street, is now on Guy Street. The renovations added space for 355 new beds. In total, there are almost 600 beds for students. The old chapel has been transformed into a quiet reading room for 230 students. There are also 14 study rooms for groups, a daycare, and a cafeteria. Students living here can choose to prepare their own meals.
The Crypt
In the basement of the building, there is a crypt. This is a special underground room where people are buried. About 276 people are buried here. Most of them, 232, were Grey Nuns who lived in the Motherhouse.
The crypt is still owned by the Grey Nuns. They are allowed to enter it. However, it is off-limits to students and other visitors. You can only see it through a window in a locked door.
Years ago, there were plans to move all the buried remains. They were going to be moved to Île St. Bernard, another place owned by the Grey Nuns. But the health department in Quebec did not allow it. This was because some of the sisters had died from infectious diseases.
Among those buried in the crypt were the nieces and a son of Mother Marie-Marguerite d'Youville. In 2010, Mother d'Youville's own remains were moved. They were taken to her birthplace in Varennes for reburial.
Images for kids
