Montreal

Montreal is a metropolis in Quebec, Canada, occupying an island where the Saint Lawrence and Ottawa rivers meet, with Mount Royal forming a wooded hill near the center. The urban area spreads from historic districts along the waterfront to residential neighborhoods and commercial zones reaching across the entire island.

French settlers founded the site in 1642 as Ville-Marie, a mission along the river. The fur trade gradually turned it into a commercial hub that grew into one of the largest cities in Canada.

The city moves between two languages, with French heard in cafes and stores while English surfaces in business districts and parts of the western neighborhoods. Street festivals, markets and public squares reflect a blend of European cafe culture and North American urban energy.

Public transit covers all parts of the city with metro lines and bus routes running from early morning until after midnight. Underground passages allow access to many buildings and transit hubs during winter without stepping outside.

A network of tunnels beneath the downtown core links shopping centers, hotels, universities and metro stations over roughly 32 kilometers (20 miles). This underground system stays active year-round, offering a climate-controlled path through much of the city center.

Location: Urban agglomeration of Montreal

Inception: May 17, 1642

Founders: Paul de Chomedey, Sieur de Maisonneuve, Jeanne Mance

Elevation above the sea: 31 m

Part of: Greater Montreal, Urban agglomeration of Montreal

Shares border with: Longueuil, Saint-Lambert, Westmount, Montréal-Est, Mount Royal, Hampstead, Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue, Candiac, Sainte-Catherine, Laval, Dorval, Kirkland, Dollard-des-Ormeaux, Côte Saint-Luc, Montreal West, Brossard, La Prairie, Boucherville, Varennes, Kahnawake, Repentigny, Charlemagne, Terrebonne, Deux-Montagnes, Sainte-Marthe-sur-le-Lac, Pointe-Calumet

Address: Montreal, QC, Canada

Website: https://montreal.ca/en

GPS coordinates: 45.50334,-73.58684

Latest update: December 2, 2025 20:38