Old Montreal
- Visit: 90 min
- from CAD 17.50
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Why go
- Notre-Dame Basilica dominates the south side of Place d’Armes.
- Saint-Sulpice Seminary beside Place d’Armes is Montreal’s oldest surviving building.
- Archaeological remains of Montreal’s first settlement lie within the Pointe-à-Callière museum.
- The Old Port has recreational space, museums and attractions around its maritime facilities.
- Historic bank buildings line rue Saint-Jacques, once Canada’s financial centre and nicknamed Montreal’s Wall Street.
Opening hours
Today10:00 – 18:00Show all
Don't miss
- Eastern landmarksLook for Montreal City Hall, Bonsecours Market and Notre-Dame-de-Bon-Secours Chapel near Place Jacques-Cartier.Eastern Old Montreal
- Château Ramezay and Sir George-Étienne Cartier National Historic SiteThese sites preserve examples of the eastern district’s colonial mansions.Eastern Old Montreal
- Champ-de-Mars stone linesTwo parallel stone lines mark the colonial fortifications; archaeologists uncovered roughly 250 metres of the former walls here in the 1990s.Between Montreal City Hall and the Ville-Marie Expressway, with views toward downtown and Chinatown
- Aldred Building and New York Life BuildingCompare the Aldred Building with the neighbouring New York Life Building, built in 1888 and Canada’s oldest skyscraper.West of Place d’Armes
- Place Jacques-CartierThe square occupies part of the former Château Vaudreuil gardens.Eastern Old Montreal
Interesting facts4
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Traditional buildings use gray limestone quarried in northern Île de Montréal.
Vieux-Montréal - Wikipedia -
6.4 metres
The former city walls stood up to 6.4 metres high and extended for 3.5 kilometres.
Vieux-Montréal - Wikipedia -
The district’s historic boundaries mainly follow the route of the former fortifications.
Vieux-Montréal - Wikipedia -
Some surviving buildings date to the 17th century, making this one of North America’s oldest urban areas.
Old Montreal - Wikipedia (part 2)
Shorts
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Old Montreal Restaurants You Need to Try (part 2)Niko Atsaidis
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Old Port of Montreal |Pam Pilouk
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Hidden Gem Hotel in Old Montreal | Le Petit HotelTravel Bliss Now
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Old Montreal Restaurants You Need to Try (part 1)Niko Atsaidis
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A hidden speakeasy in Old Montreal you’d walk right past 👀 ColdroomUnpacking with Rahi
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🇨🇦Old Montreal, feels like France or not?Mush Travel Journey
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Beautiful Old MontrealK-TV 🎥
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OLD MONTREAL, CANADA - 4K WALKING TOURcitylifeboy
History
During the French period, the settlement acquired Hôtel-Dieu, the Saint-Sulpice Seminary and its first Notre-Dame parish church.
- 1605Samuel de Champlain established a fur-trading post at Place Royale.
- 1611Samuel de Champlain established a temporary fur-trading post at Pointe-à-Callière.
- 1642Paul Chomedey de Maisonneuve founded Ville-Marie with about 40 French colonists.
- 1643A fort was built as headquarters for the Société Notre-Dame de Montréal.
- 1645Jeanne Mance and the hospital sisters built and ran Hôtel-Dieu de Montréal, the city’s first hospital.
Show all
- 1672François Dollier de Casson surveyed the area and set its street grid.
- 1717–1738Gaspard-Joseph Chaussegros de Léry directed construction of the city walls.
- 1721A French royal order banned wooden construction in Montreal.
- 1765, 1768Fires destroyed nearly half the district’s buildings.
- 1803A fire destroyed the Jesuits’ church, prison and adjacent buildings.
- 1804–1815The fortifications were demolished, expanding the area and improving access to suburbs.
- 1845The marketplace created after the 1803 fire took the name Place Jacques-Cartier.
- 1849The Marché Sainte-Anne, then a temporary parliament building, burned down.
- 1873Montreal City Hall was built in the former Jesuit gardens.
- 1929–1931The Aldred Building was built.
- 1929The economic crisis, followed by the relocation of port facilities, led many businesses to leave.
- 1960sA campaign stopped a proposed riverside expressway from cutting through the old city.
- 1964Most of the district received historic protection, encouraging restoration and reuse of vacant buildings as offices and homes.
Tips for your visit
- Join a guided walking tour of the district.
- Notice the façade lighting after dark; a lighting plan highlights the district’s varied architectural styles.
How to get there
- TrainMetro stations serving the district include Champ-de-Mars, Place-d’Armes and Square-Victoria–OACI.
- BusSTM bus routes run through the district.
- BoatIn summer, ferries connect the Old Port with Longueuil on the south shore.
- On footA pedestrian connection through the Underground City links downtown with the district.
- BikeA network of bicycle paths serves the district.
Sources: Old Montreal - Wikipedia · Old Montreal - Wikipedia (part 2) · Montreal/Old Montreal - Wikivoyage (listing) · Walking Tours Montréal and surroundings - Guida… · Visites à pied Montréal et environs - Guidatour · Who we are - Guidatour · Vieux-Montréal - Wikipedia · Vieux-Montréal - Wikipedia · Design Your Montréal - Guidatour · Design Your Montréal - Guidatour · checked 27 Sep 2026
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Questions and answers
Where is Old Montreal’s former Bank of Montreal Head Office?
On the north side of Place d’Armes.
Where was Montreal’s original city site?
At Pointe-à-Callière, where the Saint Lawrence and Petite Rivière met.
Where do cruise ships dock in Old Montreal?
At the Iberville terminal on Alexandra Pier.
What stood on the site of Bonsecours Market in Old Montreal?
The British-American Hotel stood there before Bonsecours Market was built in 1845.
Were Old Montreal’s historic squares always pedestrian spaces?
No. By the mid-20th century, Place d’Armes, Place d’Youville and Place Jacques-Cartier were covered with cars.
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