Notre-Dame Basilica (Montreal) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Notre-Dame BasilicaBasilique Notre-Dame de Montréal |
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The church building's exterior, 2017
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 Notre-Dame Basilica
Basilique Notre-Dame de Montréal Location in Montreal
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| 45°30′16″N 73°33′22″W / 45.50444°N 73.55611°W | |
| Location | 110 Notre-Dame Street West Montreal, Quebec, Canada H2Y 1T2 |
| Denomination | Roman Catholic |
| History | |
| Status | Minor basilica |
| Dedication | Mary |
| Dedicated | July 1, 1829 |
| Architecture | |
| Functional status | Active |
| Architect(s) | James O'Donnell |
| Style | Gothic Revival, English Gothic |
| Groundbreaking | 1823 |
| Completed | 1865 (facade) |
| Construction cost | £47,446 (1832) |
| Specifications | |
| Length | 79 metres (259 ft) |
| Width | 46 metres (151 ft) |
| Height | 60 metres (200 ft) |
| Materials | Stone, which came from the Tanneries quarry in Griffintown |
| Administration | |
| Archdiocese | Montreal |
Notre-Dame Basilica (in French: Basilique Notre-Dame) is a very important Catholic church. It is located in the old part of Montreal, Quebec, Canada. You can find it at 110 Notre-Dame Street West. It's right next to the Saint-Sulpice Seminary and across from Place d'Armes square.
The inside of the church is truly amazing. Many people think it's one of the most beautiful examples of Gothic Revival style. The ceilings are a deep blue with golden stars. The rest of the church is decorated with many colors like blue, red, purple, silver, and gold. You'll see hundreds of detailed wooden carvings and many religious statues.
Unlike most churches, the stained glass windows here don't show scenes from the Bible. Instead, they tell the story of Montreal's religious past. The church also has a huge pipe organ built in 1891 by Casavant Frères. It has four keyboards, 99 different sounds (called stops), and about 7,000 pipes!
Around 11 million people visit Notre-Dame Basilica every year. This makes it one of the most visited places in North America. In 2023, a publication called Angi said Notre-Dame was the 6th most beautiful building in the world.
Contents
History of the Basilica
In 1657, a group of Catholic priests called the Sulpicians came to Ville-Marie, which is now Montreal. Six years later, they became the owners of the island. They were in charge until 1840. The first church they built was named after Mary. This first Notre-Dame church was built in 1672.
An architect named François Baillairgé designed the inside of the church between 1785 and 1795. He also worked on the front and ceiling decorations in 1818. This church was the first main church (cathedral) for the Diocese of Montreal from 1821 to 1822.
By 1824, the church was too small for all the people who wanted to attend. So, James O'Donnell, an architect from New York City, was asked to design a new, bigger church. He wanted it to hold up to 10,000 people. O'Donnell loved the Gothic Revival style, so he designed the church in that way. He is the only person buried in the church's special underground room, called the crypt. He became Catholic just before he died, which allowed him to be buried there.
Most of the building was constructed between 1824 and 1829. The first stone was placed on September 1, 1824. The main worship area was finished in 1830. The first tower was done in 1841, and the second in 1843. O'Donnell designed the towers to look like traditional Gothic towers. He wanted them to be seen from anywhere in the city. After O'Donnell passed away, another architect, John Ostell, finished the towers. When it was completed, this church was the largest in North America for over fifty years.
The front of the church was finished in 1865. It has three statues by a French artist named Henri Bouriché. These statues are of Saint Joseph, the Virgin Mary, and Saint Jean-Baptiste.
The inside of the church took much longer to decorate. Victor Bourgeau worked on it from 1872 to 1879. He also worked on Montreal's Mary, Queen of the World Cathedral. The main worship area first had a large canopy. But it caused a bright light that bothered people. So, the designs were changed by Bourgeau and the priest, Victor Rousselot. They were inspired by the Sainte-Chapelle in Paris. They used gold leaf designs with brightly painted columns.
Because the main church was so grand, a smaller, more private chapel was built behind it. This was called the Chapelle du Sacré-Cœur (Chapel of the Sacred Heart). It was finished in 1888. In 1886, Casavant Frères started building a new, very large pipe organ for the church. They finished it in 1891. This was special because it was the first organ with electric pedals that could change sounds.
Sadly, the Sacré-Cœur Chapel was damaged by fire on December 8, 1978. It was rebuilt using old drawings and photos for the first two levels. The new parts included modern ceilings and a huge bronze artwork behind the altar. This artwork was made by a Quebec artist named Charles Daudelin.
Notre-Dame Church became a "minor basilica" by Pope John Paul II on April 21, 1982. It was named a National Historic Site of Canada in 1989.
Famous Events and Visitors
Many important events have happened at Notre-Dame Basilica.
- On May 31, 2000, the funeral for famous hockey player Maurice "Rocket" Richard was held here. Thousands of people attended.
- On October 3, 2000, Justin Trudeau gave a speech at the funeral of his father, Pierre Trudeau. Pierre Trudeau was Canada's 15th prime minister.
- The singer Celine Dion was married here on December 17, 1994. Her husband, René Angélil, also had his funeral service here on January 22, 2016.
- In 2014, a French collector showed many items that belonged to Napoleon Bonaparte in the church's crypt. These included clothes, weapons, and furniture.
- In April 2019, after a fire at Notre-Dame de Paris, Montreal's Notre-Dame offered to collect donations to help rebuild the Paris cathedral.
- On March 23, 2024, the funeral for Canada's 18th prime minister, Brian Mulroney, was held at the Basilica.
Church Bells
Both towers of the basilica have bells.
- The West Tower, called La Persévérance, has a very large bell named Jean-Baptiste. It was made in 1848 and weighs 10,900 kilograms. This bell only rings on special occasions. These include funerals, big church holidays, and Christmas Eve.
- The East Tower, called La Temperance, has a set of ten bells. These bells were also made in 1842.
Visiting the Basilica
The basilica often has musical performances, including choirs and organ concerts. Many people in Montreal have a tradition of attending the yearly performance of Handel's Messiah every Christmas.
More than 11 million people visit Notre-Dame every year. This is only one million fewer than the famous Notre-Dame de Paris.
Organists
Many talented organists have played at the basilica:
- Jean Girard (1725–1765)
- Guillaume Mechtler (1792–1832)
- Jean-Chrysostome Brauneis II (1833–1844)
- Leonard Eglauch (1845)
- Jean-Baptiste Labelle (1849–1891)
- Alcibiade Béique (1891–1896)
- Joseph-Daniel Dussault (1896–1921, except for eight months in 1916)
- August Liessens (1916)
- Benoît Poirier (1921–1954)
- Pierre Grandmaison (1973–present)
See also
In Spanish: Basílica Notre-Dame de Montreal para niños
- Adam Charles Gustave Desmazures
- List of tallest structures built before the 20th century
