Mount Royal Cross facts for kids
| Croix du mont Royal | |
Daytime image (pre-renovation)
|
|
 Location in Montreal
|
|
| Coordinates | 45°30′32″N 73°35′16″W / 45.50889°N 73.58778°W |
|---|---|
| Location | Mount Royal |
| Material | steel |
| Width | 11 metres (36 ft) |
| Height | 31.4 metres (103 ft) |
| Beginning date | May 16, 1924 |
| Completion date | Mid-September 1924 |
The Mount Royal Cross is a famous monument on top of Mount Royal in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. It stands on the mountain's northeastern peak. From there, it looks over the eastern part of the island of Montreal.
Contents
History of the Cross
The First Cross (1643)
The very first cross on Mount Royal was put up in 1643. This was done by Paul Chomedey de Maisonneuve, one of Montreal's founders. He had promised the Virgin Mary he would do this if a terrible flood ended. His prayers were answered, and the flood stopped.
The Modern Cross (1924)
A much larger, illuminated cross was put in place in 1924. This project was started by the Société Saint-Jean-Baptiste, a group that promotes French-Canadian culture. They gave the cross to the city of Montreal in 1929. Since then, the city has been in charge of keeping the cross working and looking good.
In 2004, the Montreal City Council officially took over the monument. This allowed them to plan big improvements. The city also used this chance to make it easier to visit the cross. They added new park benches and other items for visitors. This renovation cost about 2 million Canadian dollars. The city and the Quebec government helped pay for it.
What the Cross is Made Of
The Mount Royal Cross is made of steel. It has 1,830 separate pieces held together by 6,000 rivets. The whole structure weighs 26 tons. It stands 31.4 metres (about 103 feet) tall. Its arms stretch 11 metres (about 36 feet) wide. The cross is located 252 metres (about 827 feet) above the Saint Lawrence River. After its most recent upgrade, it is lit by 158 special LED bulbs.
How the Cross Lights Up
The cross is usually lit up in bright white. However, the new LED lighting system can change its color. For example, it can turn purple. This color is traditionally used when a Pope has died and a new one is being chosen. Before the new LED system, workers had to manually change all the light bulbs to make it purple. Now, a computer controls the colors.
The cross has also been lit in other colors for special reasons. It has been turned red to raise awareness for AIDS. It has also been blue for Saint-Jean-Baptiste Day, a holiday celebrating Quebec's culture.
When Pope Benedict XVI resigned in 2013, there was a question about what color the cross should be. It was decided that it would stay white during the time before Pope Francis was elected on March 13, 2013.
On March 28, 2009, the cross was turned off for one hour. This was to mark Earth Hour, an event where people turn off lights to save energy.
Time Capsule
Next to the Mount Royal Cross, there is a special plaque. It marks the spot where a time capsule was buried in 1992. This happened during Montreal's 350th birthday celebration. The time capsule holds messages and drawings from 12,000 children. These items show what they imagined the city would be like in the year 2142. That is the year the time capsule is planned to be opened.
Images for kids
-
A robot drawing, representing the future
