Champ de Mars, Montreal, Public park in Old Montreal, Canada
Champ de Mars is a public park in Old Montreal with a rectangular layout, preserved stone fortification walls, and paved walkways. The space sits between City Hall and the courthouse buildings, offering a flat, open area for walking and pausing.
The grounds served as a military parade area through the early 1800s, when the original city fortifications were torn down. This demolition allowed the city to expand beyond its defensive walls and transformed the location from a military space into a public area.
The site displays exposed stone remains from Montreal's colonial-era defenses, uncovered during restoration work in the early 1990s. These archaeological traces shape the character of the space today and connect visitors directly to the city's early days.
The park is directly accessible through the Champ-de-Mars Metro station, with multiple entry points along Saint-Antoine and Notre-Dame streets. The flat, paved surface is straightforward to navigate and offers various spots to rest while moving between the surrounding buildings.
The foundations of Montreal's defensive walls remain visible through glass panels set into the park's modern design. This transparent window reveals three centuries of urban layers at a location that visitors now cross daily without realizing what lies beneath.
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