Fort de la Montagne, 17th century fort in Ville-Marie, Canada.
Fort de la Montagne consists of two stone towers standing on Sherbrooke Street West, each about 13 meters (43 feet) tall with eight-sided conical roofs topped by crosses. The towers remain visible from the street and show the defensive architecture typical of the colonial period.
François Vachon de Belmont built the fort in 1685 to protect a mission that housed over 200 Iroquois, Hurons, and Algonquins. The site was part of early French expansion and the protection of trade routes in the region.
The Sisters of the Congregation of Notre-Dame used the southwest tower as a school and the southeast tower as their residence. These structures remain part of the neighborhood's character and recall their religious mission.
The towers are visible from Sherbrooke Street West and can be viewed from outside at any time, as the site is a protected monument. The location is centrally situated and easily reached on foot, making it ideal for a brief walk through the neighborhood.
The gun ports built into the stone walls were never used in actual combat and served only as a deterrent. This unused weaponry shows how important symbolic presence was for mission safety.
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