Gyrophare de Montréal, Rotating beacon at Place Ville Marie, Canada.
Four powerful light beams rotate from the top of Place Ville Marie, reaching distances of up to 58 kilometers across the Montreal skyline.
The Royal Bank of Canada installed the original beacon in 1957 at their Saint-Jacques Street headquarters before relocating it to Place Ville Marie in 1962.
The beacon illuminates Montreal's night sky from dusk until 1:30 AM, joining other illuminated symbols like Mount Royal Cross and the Hydro-Québec sign.
The system requires maintenance every eighteen months for bulb replacement and motor service twice per decade, with annual costs between 5,000 and 8,000 dollars.
A lost pilot once sent a thank-you letter to the Royal Bank of Canada after using the beacon's light beams to navigate back to Montreal.
GPS coordinates: 45.50140,-73.56900
Latest update: March 4, 2025 00:46
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