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Architecture of Montreal
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{{Short description|none}} <!-- "none" is preferred when the title is sufficiently descriptive; see [[WP:SDNONE]] --> [[File:Rue McTavish August 2017 01.jpg|thumb|275px|View of Montreal from [[McTavish Street]]. The architecture of Montreal is characterized by a wide variety of architectural styles.]] The '''architecture of [[Montreal]]''', [[Quebec]], Canada is characterized by the juxtaposition of the old and the new and a wide variety of [[architectural style]]s, the legacy of two successive colonizations by the [[French colonization of the Americas|French]], the [[British colonization of the Americas|British]], and the close presence of modern [[architecture]] to the south. Much like [[Quebec City]], the city of Montreal had fortifications, but they were destroyed between 1804 and 1817. For over a century and a half, Montreal was the industrial and financial centre of Canada. The variety of buildings included factories, [[elevator]]s, [[warehouse]]s, [[Mill (grinding)|mills]], and [[Refining|refineries]], which today provide a legacy of historic and architectural interest, especially in the [[Downtown Montreal|Downtown area]] and in [[Old Montreal]]. Many historical buildings in Old Montreal retain their original form, notably the impressive 19th century headquarters of all [[Big Five (banks)|major Canadian banks]] on [[Saint Jacques Street]] (formerly known as Saint James Street). From the [[Art Deco]] period, Montreal offers a handful of notable examples: [[Ernest Cormier]]'s [[Université de Montréal]] main building located on the northern side of [[Mount Royal]] and the [[Aldred Building]] at [[Place d'Armes]], an historic square in Old Montreal. In fact, Place d'Armes, shown in panorama below, is surrounded by buildings representing several major periods in Montreal architecture: the [[Gothic Revival]] [[Notre-Dame Basilica (Montreal)|Notre-Dame Basilica]]; [[New York Life Building, Montreal|New York Life Building]], Montreal's first high-rise; the [[Pantheon, Rome|Pantheon]]-like [[Bank of Montreal Head Office, Montreal|Bank of Montreal head office]], Canada's first bank; the aforementioned Aldred Building.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.arch.mcgill.ca/prof/sijpkes/arch304/winter2001/cszasz/aldred/aldred.htm |title=Montreal's Original Skyscraper: The Aldred Building |access-date=2008-03-03 |last=Szasz |first=Colin |date=2000-12-11 |work=McGill School of Architecture| archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20080308172944/http://www.arch.mcgill.ca/prof/sijpkes/arch304/winter2001/cszasz/aldred/aldred.htm| archive-date= 8 March 2008 | url-status= live}}</ref> (1931) and the [[International style (architecture)|International style]] [[500 Place D'Armes]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.vieux.montreal.qc.ca/inventaire/fiches/fiche_bat.php?sec=p&num=11 |title=La Place d'Armes |access-date=2008-03-20 |work=Old Montreal Web site}}</ref> ==Church architecture== [[File:Basílica de Notre-Dame, Montreal, Canadá, 2017-08-11, DD 26-28 HDR.jpg|thumb|Dedicated in 1829, [[Notre-Dame Basilica (Montreal)|Notre-Dame Basilica]] is one of four [[Roman Catholic]] [[basilica]]s located in the city.]] Founded as a [[Roman Catholic]] [[France|French]] colony and nicknamed "la ville aux cent clochers" (the city of a hundred belltowers), Montreal is renowned for its churches. The city has four [[Roman Catholic]] [[basilica]]s: [[Mary, Queen of the World Cathedral]], [[Notre-Dame Basilica (Montreal)|Notre-Dame Basilica]], [[St. Patrick's Basilica, Montreal|St. Patrick's Basilica]], and [[Saint Joseph's Oratory]]. The Oratory is the largest church in Canada, with the largest dome of its kind in the world after that of [[Saint Peter's Basilica]] in [[Rome]]. Other well-known churches include [[Notre-Dame-de-Bon-Secours Chapel]], which is sometimes called the Sailors' Church. Following the British victory in the [[Seven Years' War]], many [[protestant]] immigrants came to the city from [[England]], [[Scotland]] and [[Ireland]]. This led to various Protestant churches being built to accommodate the growing community. The two most notable of these are the [[Saint James United Church (Montreal)|Saint James United Church]] and the [[Anglican]] [[Christ Church Cathedral (Montreal)|Christ Church Cathedral]], which was suspended above an excavated pit during the construction of the [[Promenades Cathédrale]] mall, part of Montreal's [[Underground City (Montreal)|Underground City]]. <ref>{{cite news |first=Mark |last=Twain |title=MARK TWAIN IN MONTREAL |url=http://www.twainquotes.com/18811210.html |work=New York Times |date=1881-12-10 |access-date=2008-02-02 }}</ref> ==Skyscrapers== [[File:17-08-08-Montreal-RalfR-DSC 3577.jpg|thumb|At {{convert|205|m|ft}}, [[1000 de La Gauchetière]] is [[postmodern architecture|postmodern]] skyscraper, and the [[List of tallest buildings in Montreal|tallest building in the city]].]] {{further|List of tallest buildings in Montreal}} Skyscraper construction in Montreal has swung between periods of intense activity and prolonged lulls. A two-year period from 1962 to 1964 saw the completion of four of Montreal's ten tallest buildings: [[Tour de la Bourse]], [[I. M. Pei]]'s landmark cruciform [[Place Ville-Marie]], the [[CIBC Building]] and [[CIL House]]. Its tallest buildings, the 51-storey [[1000 de La Gauchetière]] and the 47-storey [[1250 René-Lévesque]], were both completed in 1992. Montreal places height-limits on skyscrapers so that they do not exceed 200m in height nor the summit of [[Mount Royal]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://spacingmontreal.ca/2008/03/06/skyline-planning/ |title=Skyline Planning |access-date=2008-04-25 |last=Heffez |first=Alanah |date=2008-03-06 |work=Spacing Montreal |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090524040335/http://spacingmontreal.ca/2008/03/06/skyline-planning/ |archive-date=2009-05-24 |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Plan d'urbanisme |url=https://ville.montreal.qc.ca/portal/page?_dad=portal&_pageid=2761,3098430&_schema=PORTAL# |website=Ville de Montréal |access-date=9 January 2024}}</ref> Only the [[St. Joseph's Oratory]] reaches an elevation higher than 232.5 metres above mean sea level (Mount Royal elevation). Above-ground height is further limited in most areas and only a few downtown land plots are allowed to exceed 120 metres in height. The limit is currently attained by 1000 de La Gauchetière and 1250 René-Lévesque, the latter of which is shorter, but built on higher ground. The [[Olympic Stadium (Montreal)|Tour de Montréal]], incorporated into the north base of Montreal's [[Olympic Stadium (Montreal)|Olympic Stadium]] is the tallest [[inclined tower]] in the world, at {{cvt|175|m|ft}}.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.emporis.com/application/?nav=building&lng=3&id=tourdemontreal-montreal-canada|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130409053331/http://www.emporis.com/application/?nav=building&lng=3&id=tourdemontreal-montreal-canada|url-status=usurped|archive-date=April 9, 2013|title=Tour de Montréal|access-date=2 April 2020|publisher=Emporis}}</ref> ==Expo 67== [[File:Montreal - QC - Habitat67.jpg|thumb|[[Habitat 67]] is a model community and housing complex that was showcased at [[Expo 67]].]] {{main|Expo 67 (pavilions)}} Pavilions designed for the 1967 International and Universal Exposition, popularly known as [[Expo 67]], featured a wide range of architectural designs. Though most pavilions were temporary structures, several remaining structures have become Montreal landmarks, including the [[geodesic dome]] US Pavilion, now the [[Montreal Biosphère]], as well as [[Moshe Safdie]]'s striking [[Habitat 67]] apartment complex. The French pavilion and [[Québec Pavilion]] of Expo 67 underwent significant renovations in 1992 to become the [[Montreal Casino]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://ici.radio-canada.ca/nouvelle/1127623/casino-montreal-jeux-divertissement-archives|title=Le Casino de Montréal souffle 25 bougies|last=ICI.Radio-Canada.ca|first=Zone Art de vivre-|website=Radio-Canada.ca|language=fr-ca|access-date=2 April 2020}}</ref> ==Montreal Metro== {{main|Montreal Metro}} In terms of modern architecture, the [[Montreal Metro]] is filled with a profusion of [[public art]] by some of the biggest names in [[Culture of Quebec|Quebec culture]]. In addition, the design and ornamentation of each station in the Metro system is unique, much like the [[Stockholm Metro]] and the [[Moscow Metro]]. ==Other notable structures== [[File:Le Stade Olympique de Montréal Nuit Arriere-Gauche.jpg|thumb|The [[Olympic Stadium (Montreal)|Olympic Stadium]] was the [[Olympic Stadium|main venue]] for the [[1976 Summer Olympics]]. It features the world's tallest [[inclined tower]].]] Other significant works of modern architecture in Montreal include the [[Brutalist]] [[Place Bonaventure]], the world's second largest commercial building when it was completed in 1967,<ref>{{cite encyclopedia|url=https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/place-bonaventure|title=Place Bonaventure|encyclopedia=[[The Canadian Encyclopedia]]|access-date=August 25, 2019}}</ref> [[Ludwig Mies van der Rohe]]'s [[Westmount Square]] and [[Roger Taillibert]]'s controversial [[Olympic Stadium (Montreal)|Olympic Stadium]], which incorporates the world's tallest [[inclined tower]], at 175 metres. Montreal architects [[Pierre Boulva]] and [[Jacques David (architect)|Jacques David]] completed a number of modernist landmarks in the 1960s, including the [[Palais de justice de Montréal]], [[500 Place D'Armes]], [[Place des Arts|Théâtre Maisonneuve]], the [[Dow Planetarium]] and the [[Place-des-Arts (Montreal Metro)|Place-des-Arts]], [[Atwater (Montreal Metro)|Atwater]] and [[Lucien-L'Allier (Montreal Metro)|Lucien-L'Allier]] metro stations.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.imtl.org/montreal/architecte_montreal.php?architect=David_et_Boulva |title=Montréal's Architects: David et Boulva |access-date=2008-03-21 |work=Images Montréal | archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20080430225232/http://www.imtl.org/montreal/architecte_montreal.php?architect=David_et_Boulva| archive-date= 30 April 2008 | url-status= live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bomacanada.ca/docs/AWARDS_2007_Finalists.pdf |title=2007 BOMA Canada National Awards Finalists |access-date=2008-03-21 |work=Building Owners and Managers Association of Canada |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090304225206/http://www.bomacanada.ca/docs/AWARDS_2007_Finalists.pdf |archive-date=2009-03-04 }}</ref> In 2006, the city was recognized by the international design community as a UNESCO City of Design, one of the three world design capitals.<ref>{{cite web|title=Cities appointed to the Creative Cities Network |publisher=UNESCO |url=http://portal0.unesco.org/culture/admin/ev.php?URL_ID=27810&URL_DO=DO_TOPIC |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080126041022/http://portal0.unesco.org/culture/admin/ev.php?URL_ID=27810&URL_DO=DO_TOPIC |url-status=dead |archive-date=2008-01-26 |access-date=2007-11-22 }}</ref> ==Heritage conservation== The [[Le Conseil du patrimoine de Montréal|Conseil du patrimoine de Montréal]] advises the municipal government on matters related to heritage building preservation.<ref name="Conseil du patrimoine">{{cite web|url=http://ville.montreal.qc.ca/portal/page?_pageid=2981,3122714&_dad=portal&_schema=PORTAL|title=Le Conseil du patrimoine de Montréal|publisher=City of Montreal|access-date=2009-03-22}}</ref> A pair of non-governmental groups have worked to preserve Montreal historic buildings since the 1970s: [[Save Montreal]], co-founded by [[Michael Fish (architect)|Michael Fish]] in 1974, and [[Heritage Montreal]], founded by [[Phyllis Lambert]] two years later.<ref>Gravenor, Kristian (October 23, 2003). "[http://www.montrealmirror.com/ARCHIVES/2003/102303/kristian.html The museum that is Montreal]", ''[[Montreal Mirror]]'' '''19''' (19). Retrieved on 2009-02-11.</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://e-city.ca/awards/ula/leadershipawards2008.php |title=Phyllis Lambert |work=Canadian Urban Institute |access-date=2009-03-22 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110706175350/http://e-city.ca/awards/ula/leadershipawards2008.php |archive-date=2011-07-06 }}</ref> In 1979, Lambert founded the [[Canadian Centre for Architecture]] (CCA), an architecture museum and research centre located in downtown Montreal. In October 2009, Lambert, Heritage Montreal and others formed a [[think tank]] called the Institut de politiques alternatives de Montréal to advise the city on a range of matters including urban planning, development and heritage.<ref name="Mtl think">{{cite news|url=https://montrealgazette.com/news/think+tank+will+conscience+mayor/2104533/story.html|title=New think tank will act as conscience for mayor|date=October 15, 2009|work=Montreal Gazette|publisher=Canwest|access-date=21 November 2009}} {{Dead link|date=October 2010|bot=H3llBot}}</ref> {{wide image|View of rue de la commune.jpg|700px|View of [[Old Montreal]] from the [[Old Port of Montreal]].}} ==See also== {{portal|Architecture}} * [[Architecture of Canada]] * [[Architecture of Quebec]] * [[Arcop]] * [[Culture of Montreal]] * [[Golden Square Mile]] * [[List of National Historic Sites of Canada in Montreal]] * [[List of old Montreal buildings]] * [[List of Quebec architects]] * [[Percy Erskine Nobbs]] * [[Underground City, Montreal]] ==References== {{reflist}} ==External links== {{commons}} * [https://web.archive.org/web/20090810005503/http://canada.archiseek.com/quebec/montreal/index.html Architecture of Montreal, Archiseek] * [http://www.patrimoine-religieux.qc.ca/ Québec Religious Heritage Foundation] * [http://www.heritagemontreal.qc.ca/ Héritage Montréal] * [http://www.kollectif.net/ Kollectif::Information::Architecture::Montréal] * [https://web.archive.org/web/20101022034922/http://www.architecturecoquine.tk/ Architecture of Old Montreal] * [https://imtl.org/ Images Montreal] (IMTL.org) an historical encyclopaedia and a guide to the modern architecture of Montreal * {{cite news|url=http://www.canadianarchitect.com/issues/ISarticle.asp?id=142052&story_id=193428145057&issue=10012003&PC=&RType=|title=Quel Fromage! A survey of the kitsch architecture in Montreal|last=Lam|first=Elsa|date=October 2003|work=Canadian Architect|access-date=2009-02-06}} * [http://www.cca.qc.ca/ Canadian Centre for Architecture] {{Montreal}} {{Montreal landmarks}} {{Canada tallest buildings lists}} {{Architecture of North America}} [[Category:Culture of Montreal]] [[Category:Architecture in Canada by city|Montreal]] [[Category:History of Montreal]] [[Category:Buildings and structures in Montreal]]
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