Archiscape Blog

Traveling Architect: Old Montreal

Posted on August 10, 2011 by Karin • Filed under:

In 1641 a group of 50 French men & women were recruited, on behalf of the Societe de Notre-Dame de Montreal, to set sail for “New France”.  Their mission was to convert the natives and create a model Catholic community.  These first settlers arrived on May 15, 1642 and founded Ville-Marie, the small colony that would soon become known as Montreal.

Soon missionary ideals gave way to a lucrative fur trade and Montreal became the port of choice.  With the population slowly expanding, by the mid 18th century, Montreal still resembled a small French town complete with perimeter walls, simple wooden homes, convents and a hospital.

By the early 19th century, major changes would occur due to an influx of English, Scottish, and Irish immigrants. Not only would Montreal be transformed into an urban center but now the majority of the 27,000 inhabitants were British.  Where the British used the canons of Victorian architecture to make their mark, the French presence was most obvious through the proliferation of Catholic institutions. The explosion of churches and convents changed the landscape of urban Montreal.   Over a period of time the city became divided geographically with the French speaking to the east and the English predominately in the west.

Moving the center of business to the current city center in 1945 allowed Old Montreal to retain its unique Franco-Anglo character.  Narrow winding streets harken back to the French influence.  The mostly 19th century architecture is remarkable. Even the warehouses along some of the oldest streets in the city are adorned with elaborate sculpted facades.1964 brought the designation of Historic District by the Quebecois government, guaranteeing the character of the Old City for generations to come.

EARLIEST STRUCTURES

Bonsecours  Market

Built in 1845, Bonsecours Market was designed by W. Footner.  At the time it was the largest neoclassical building in North America.  The doric portico & impressive dome dominate Old Montreal.   Mixed-use takes on a whole new meaning when you discover that the original building housed refrigeration chambers, the City Hall, a prison, and a concert hall.  Later it became the hub of the financial district, followed by office space, and since 1992 it has been made available for public use.

City Hall

The borough of Montreal was established in 1833 and with it a municipal council was formed.  The Council’s first meetings were held under the tanks of the local water company until they were moved to  Bonsecours Market. Ultimately a new City Hall was constructed in 1878, only to be destroyed by a fire in 1922.  Four years later the original walls were used to rebuild and expand the structure that now includes a second story.  The City Hall stands as a classic example of Beaux-Arts architecture.  (See our photos of the Hotel-de-Ville and other Beaux-Arts buildings in Paris).

Wood-Framed House

The oldest surviving wood-frame house predates the Old City’s many fires of the early 1800s. The house’s style – very common in Quebec’s countryside – seems out of place here, surrounded by multi-story stone buildings.

First Bank of Montreal

Founded in 1817, the first Bank of Montreal is the very first bank in all of Canada.  The building, designed by architect John Wells, reflects the style of Palladian villas and Rome’s Pantheon. In 1905 the building was enlarged by New York architects McKim, Mead and White. The dome, removed in 1859, was restored.  The restrained façade stands in contrast to the highly decorated interior which showcases green syenite pillars, gilded bronze capitals, black marble pedestals, brass chandeliers and grilles.

Notre Dame Basilica

In the early 19th century, it became apparent that the original 17th century church on Rue Notre-Dame  was too small to serve all the faithful within the city. The present Notre Dame Basilica was completed in 1829 and its towers added in 1843.  At that time it stood proud as the largest religious building in North America.  The Sulpicians’ goal was to have the basilica rival the bishop’s palace but more importantly, it needed to rise above the protestant churches.  Interestingly, the Catholic order of Suplice, hired Architect James O’Donnell, a Protestant Irish New Yorker to design this famous landmark.  O’Donnell engaged the neo-Gothic style, an unusual style for a Catholic church of the time.

HISTORICAL LAYERING 

Walking through the streets, there are architectural clues everywhere of lives past. Painted signage on buildings is protected as part of the historic architecture, and vestiges of the old warehouse buildings, hotels, banks, insurance companies, are visible on many facades. As buildings have been torn down, their outlines show on neighboring buildings, some adding to already existing outlines, for a layered effect adding to centuries of use.

DETAILS

 

Detailing in wood, stone, iron and bronze from various periods can be seen in Old Montreal’s structures: Palladian, Beaux-Arts, Victorian, Art Deco.

STOREFRONTS

 

The most common building in Old Montreal nowadays is the converted warehouse building – a typology ideally suited for mixed-use buildings. In their infancy, these buildings collected and stored goods from the Old Port, manufactured items on the upper floors, and sold samples to local buyers or ‘en gros’ to distributors. These days, the main floors house hotel lobbies, stores or galleries and the upper floors have been converted to office space or apartment-condos. This makes for a very vibrant live-work community in the heart of the Old City.

Take some time to read up on interesting information about The Culture and People of (OLD) Montreal too!

 

“…its picturesque steep streets and frowning gateways; and the splendid views which burst upon the eye at every turn, is at once unique and lasting.  It is a place not to be forgotten or mixed up in the mind with other places, or altered for a moment in the crowd of scenes a traveller can recall.”

-Charles Dickens, After his visit to Montreal in May of 1842

A bientôt,
Karin