Basilica of Our Lady of Montreal - Montreal, Quebec, Canada - Roman Catholic Churches on Waymarking.com

Built between 1824 and 1829, Notre-Dame Basilica is the work of James O'Donnell. An Irish Protestant architect from New York, he had earned an excellent reputation for Gothic architecture. He died in 1830 before his masterpiece was completed. However, as he had converted to Catholicism before his death, he was buried beneath the basilica. The location of his tomb is marked by a marble plaque.

Architect John Ostell completed the construction of the towers. The first tower to be completed, in 1841, the West Tower, called « The Perseverance », houses « Le Gros Bourdon », a huge bronze bell nicknamed « Jean-Baptiste ». It weighs 11,263 kg and only rings out on important occasions. The East Tower, known as « The Temperance » and completed in 1843, is 61 meters in height and holds a ten-bell catillon while .

The subdued elegance of the exterior gives way to the interior's Magnificient polychrome decor. Benjamin-Victor Rousselot, Notre-Dame's parish priest from 1866 until 1882, supervised the work inside the Basilica. Its design was inspired in large part by the Saint-Chapelle in Paris. The interior decor was entrusted to Victor Bourgeau who presented his concept in 1869, but work was not started until 1872 and enlisted the services of some fifty artisans and some of the finest artists of the day. Work was completed about 1880.

The vault, dotted with gold-leaf stars, is perforated by three rose windows of painted class. Ordered in 1929 for the church's centenary, the flamboyant stained-glass windows on the ground floor depict the social and religious history of Ville-Marie. They were executed in Francis Chigot's workshop in Limoges (france) from designs by Jean-Baptiste Lagacé.

Appearing to rise into a blue sky, the high altar stands beneath an impressive altarpiece. Both the altar and the altarpiece are from the workshop of sculptor Henri Bouriché. Designed by Bouriché, revised by Bourgeau and sculpted from black walnut, the pulpit, built between 1883 and 1885, incorporates several statues by Louis-Philippe Hébert, including Ezechiel and Jeremiah at the base.

A genuine gallery of religious art, Notre-Dame Basilica has a throughly individual and irresistible charm. Its beauty and rich ornamentation are unequalled.

Type of Church: Basilica Status of Building: Actively in use for worship Date of organization: 05/17/1642 Date of building construction: 01/01/1829 Dominant Architectural Style: Gothic Associated Shrines, Art, etc.: Et la lumiere fut! Archdiocese: Basilica of Our Lady of Montreal Diocese: Metropolitan Archdiocese of Montreal Address/Location: 110, rue Notre-Dame Ouest Montréal, Quebec Canada H2Y 1T2 Relvant Web Site: [Web Link]

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