In 1889, pastor Léon-Alfred Sentenne entrusted architects Perreault and Mesnard with the construction of a chapel for ceremonies gathering a limited number of people, such as weddings and funerals. Named Notre-Dame du Sacré-Cœur and opened on December 8, 1891, it has an eclectic style full of columns, arches, friezes and sculpted motifs.
Unfortunately, a fire caused serious damage on December 7, 1978. Reconstruction was entrusted to architects Jodoin, Lamarre, Pratte and associates, who suggested reconstructing the first two levels using woodworkers, sculptors and carpenters who worked with historical methods. The vault received a modern treatment that allowed for natural light to come in, and the altarpiece was entrusted to sculptor Charles Daudelin (1920-2001), who designed an imposing 20-tonne bronze piece measuring 52 feet high and 17 feet wide (15.85 x 5.18 metres). The new chapel was inaugurated in 1982. Today, the chapel is reserved for adoration and meditation as well as weddings.
Notre-Dame took root in what we now call Old Montréal and was part of the biggest events in the 19th and 20th centuries. Pope John Paul II raised Notre-Dame Church to the rank of minor basilica on April 21, 1982. This was an opportunity to recognize the religious, historical and artistic significance of the Notre-Dame Basilica of Montréal, a treasure of Quebec's heritage.
Given its significance, Notre-Dame was designated as a national historic site by the Historic Sites and Monuments Board of Canada in 1989.
Since its founding, the Basilica has been the site of major religious and cultural events.
Since 1918, the annual festivities to commemorate the city’s founding have been celebrated here, under the aegis of the Société historique de Montréal. On May 17, 2017, a Mass commemorating the city's 375th anniversary was held at the Basilica with many notable people in attendance, including the prime minister of Canada, Justin Trudeau, and the premier of Quebec, Philippe Couillard.
Several significant funerals were held there, including those of Sir Georges Étienne Cartier, Pierre-Elliot Trudeau, Maurice Richard, Charles Daudelin, Bernard Landry, and 9 out of the 14 victims of the École Polytechnique femicide.
Pope John Paul II celebrated a Mass for children here on September 11, 1984.
Céline Dion and René Angélil got married here on December 17, 1994.
As a cultural site, the Basilica is often frequented by music lovers who can listen to concerts, choirs and the famous Casavant organ, thanks to its impeccable acoustics. Luciano Pavarotti performed at the Basilica in 1978 to record a Christmas concert. The Montréal Symphony Orchestra has also played here regularly.
The active and innovative team at the Basilica also started exhibitions and shows. And Then There Was Light—a sound and light show—was performed there for ten years and attracted over 300,000 visitors. Since March 2017, AURA, a Moment Factory production started by the Basilica, was presented six evenings a week and was seen by over 650,000 people from 137 countries between 2017 and 2020. This unique light experience allows spectators to rediscover the breathtaking interior and architectural wonders of the Basilica.
As a tourism hotspot, the Basilica welcomes close to a million visitors from all over the world every year, each of them enthralled by its beauty while also getting an opportunity to explore Quebec’s religious history.
source: https://www.basiliquenotredame.ca/en/about/history
We invite you to visit the interior of the basilica to appreciate its unique beauty.
À propos du Géocaching:
Pour enregistrer cette cache comme trouvée, vous devrez:
1- Prendre une photo de vous et/ou votre GPS aux environs des coordonnées publiées afin de voir la pointe du mat du drapeau dans la main droite de Maisonneuve touchant la base de la croix sur le toit de la basilique. (La photo du visage n'est pas obligatoire). Cette photo prouvera votre présence sur les lieux.
2- Répondre aux quatre questions faciles suivantes et me faire parvenir vos réponses via la messagerie Géocaching ou par courriel. SVP Ne pas inscrire vos réponses dans votre log de cette cache. Vous pourrez ensuite enregistrer votre "found" sans attendre mon appobation. S'il y avait erreur, vous serez contacté par la suite.
Question A: Calculez la somme des huit gros chiffres dorés sur le monument de Maisonneuve. (Réponse inférieure à 50)
Question B: Lequel de ces trois animaux ne se retrouve pas sur un des bronzes du monument: cheval, chien ou poisson?
Question C: Comptez le nombre d'étoiles dorées autour de la tête de la Vierge Marie sur la façade de la basilique.
Question D: Quel est le nom du bourdon (cloche) qui pèse 10 900 kg et provient d'Angleterre? (Lisez le texte de cette cache)
Selon les règles pour ce type de cache, vous devez visiter les coordonnées avant de pouvoir poster votre log. Tout log "Found" sans photo et sans avoir envoyé les réponses sera effacé sans autre préavis.
Talking about Geocaching:
To log this cache as found, you must:
1- Take a photo of you and/or your GPSr from the surroundings of the published coordinates to see the tip of the flagpole in Maisonneuve's right hand touching the base of the cross on the roof of the basilica. (Face not mandatory). This photo will prove your presence at the cache.
2- Answer the following four easy questions and send me your answers via Geocaching messaging or email. Please do not enter your answers in your log of this cache. You may then log your "Found" without waiting for my approval. If there was an error, you will be conctacted afterwards.
Question A: Calculate the sum of the eight large golden numbers on the Maisonneuve monument. (The answer is less than 50)
Question B: Which of these three animals is not found on one of the monument's bronzes: horse, dog or fish?
Question C: Count the number of golden stars around the head of the Virgin Mary on the facade of the basilica.
Question D: What is the name of the bell that weighs 10,900 kg (24,000 lbs) and comes from England? (Read the cache page)
According to the rules for this type of cache, you must visit the coordinates before you can post your log. Any "Found" log without a photo and without having sent the answers will be deleted without further notice.
La visite de nos caches est notre récompense! Merci Visiting our caches is our reward. Thank you Gracias Danke Grazie Obrigado Děkuji
Récompenses Virtuelles 3.0 - 2022-2023 Cette Cache Virtuelle fait partie d'une édition limitée de Virtuelles créées entre le 1er mars 2022 et le 1er mars 2023. Seuls 4000 propriétaires de caches ont obtenu la possibilité de faire publier une Cache Virtuelle. Apprenez-en plus au sujet des Virtual Rewards 3.0 sur le Blogue de Géocaching.