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116, rue Notre-Dame Ouest
Montréal, Québec
Canada
+1 (514) 842-2925
Archdiocese of
Montréal
Notre-Dame of Montreal Basilica (not
to be confused with Mary Queen of the World
Cathedral Basilica) is a must-see for all pilgrims and tourists to Montreal.
The project of building the present
church was begun in 1826 and finished entirely in 1830. James O'Donnell
of New York was the architect of the basilica. The first interior decor,
however, was not very satisfying, and another architect, Victor Bourgeau
of Montreal was appointed to execute the splendid interior decoration that
is world-famous.
Behind the Basilica is the Sacred
Heart Chapel. The first one was almost completely damaged by a fire in 1978.
It was then rebuilt exactly as it had been except for the organ, the ceiling
and the altarpiece which was molded in bronze by Charles Daudelin, a sculptor
from Quebec.
Pope John Paul II raised the church
to the status of Minor Basilica during his visit to Canada in 1982.
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The neo-Gothic exterior of
the basilica |
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The sculptor Henri Bouriché
from France sculpted the large wooden statues for the spectacular
altarpiece in 1880.
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Relics of Canadian saints
found underneath the main altar |
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The great organ with its
97 stops, built by the brothers Casavant in 1891
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The Sacred Heart Chapel behind
the Basilica, coloured harmoniously, contains a spectacular altar
piece symbolizing humanity's pilgrimage through the different stages
of life on earth. |
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