Old Montreal, Historical district in Montreal, Canada
Old Montreal is a preserved colonial-era quarter between the Saint Lawrence River and downtown, covering roughly one square kilometer. Cobblestone lanes run between buildings from the 17th through 19th centuries with grey stone facades and steep copper roofs.
French settlers founded Fort Ville-Marie at this site in 1642 as a trading post and mission station. The Sulpicians took over administration in 1663 and guided the settlement's development for two centuries.
Place Jacques-Cartier forms the heart of social life with street performers, artists and flower vendors during the warm months. Restaurants in former merchant houses serve French-influenced dishes in rooms with stone walls and heavy wooden beams.
Three metro stations on the orange line provide access to the quarter: Square-Victoria, Place-d'Armes, and Champ-de-Mars. Several bus routes connect the area with other parts of town and stop at different points along the main streets.
The quarter was saved from an expressway construction project in the 1960s after residents and architects like Daniel van Ginkel organized resistance. This movement led to official protection status and changed urban planning policy across Canada.
Location: Ville-Marie
Address: Old Montreal, Montreal, QC, Canada
Website: https://vieux.montreal.qc.ca
GPS coordinates: 45.50500,-73.55500
Latest update: December 4, 2025 23:45
Montreal combines historic sites and cultural institutions along the Saint Lawrence River. The city displays its religious past in structures like Notre-Dame Basilica, whose neo-gothic facade dates to the 1820s, and Saint Joseph's Oratory, a Catholic pilgrimage site on Westmount. Mount Royal rises 764 ft (233 m) above the city center, offering views across downtown and the river. Parc Jean-Drapeau spans two former Expo islands and now houses the Biosphere and the Formula 1 track Circuit Gilles-Villeneuve. Cultural facilities include the Museum of Fine Arts, which presents Canadian and European collections, and Pointe-à-Callière, built on archaeological sites from the 17th century. Old Montreal preserves buildings from the French colonial period along cobblestone streets. The Olympic Stadium and Botanical Garden date from different 20th-century construction phases. Markets such as Jean-Talon and Atwater have sold regional produce for decades. The Quartier des Spectacles concentrates performance venues around Place des Arts, while the Underground City connects pedestrian passages beneath downtown.
Habitat 67
1 km
Notre-Dame Basilica
107 m
Circuit Gilles Villeneuve
2.6 km
Bell Centre
1.5 km
La Ronde
2.5 km
Old Port
425 m
Montreal Biosphère
2.1 km
Bibliothèque et Archives nationales du Québec
1.3 km
1250 René-Lévesque
1.5 km
Casino de Montréal
2.3 km
Mary, Queen of the World Cathedral
1.2 km
Jacques Cartier Bridge
2.4 km
Saint Catherine Street
877 m
Victoria Bridge
2.5 km
Parc Jean-Drapeau
2.2 km
Old Port of Montreal
203 m
Place Ville Marie
1.1 km
Saint Helen's Island
2.2 km
1000 de La Gauchetière
1.2 km
Place des Arts
946 m
Bonsecours Market
517 m
Windsor Station
1.4 km
Montreal City Hall
421 m
Sun Life Building
1.3 km
Tour de la Bourse
775 m
Goliath
2.9 km
Notre-Dame-de-Bon-Secours Chapel
616 m
Bank of Montreal Head Office, Montreal
227 mReviews
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