Old Montreal

Old Montreal(French:Vieux-Montréal,pronounced[vjømɔ̃ʁeal]) is a historicneighbourhoodwithin themunicipalityofMontrealin the province ofQuebec,Canada.Home to theOld Port of Montreal,the neighbourhood is bordered on the west byMcGill Street,on the north by Ruelle des Fortifications, on the east by rue Saint-André, and on the south by theSaint Lawrence River.Following recent amendments, the neighbourhood has expanded to include the Rue des Soeurs Grises in the west,Saint Antoine Streetin the north, andSaint Hubert Streetin the east.

Old Montreal
Neighbourhood
Vieux-Montréal
View of Old Montreal from theOld Port of Montreal
Old Montreal Location of Old Montreal inMontreal
Coordinates:45°30′18″N73°33′18″W
Country	Canada
Province	Quebec
City	Montreal
Borough	Ville-Marie
Area
• Land	0.71 km2(0.27 sq mi)
Population (2011)
• Total	4,531
• Density	6,381.7/km2(16,529/sq mi)
• Change(2006-11)	21.8%
• Dwellings	3,312
Postal Code	H2Y, H2Z
Area code(s)	514, 438
Patrimoine culturel du Québec
Official name	Site patrimonial de Montréal
Type	Site patrimonial déclaré
Designated	1964-01-08
Reference no.	93528

Founded byFrenchsettlersin 1642 asFort Ville-Marie,Old Montreal is home to many structures dating back to the era ofNew France.The 17th centurysettlementlends its name to theboroughin which theneighbourhoodlies,Ville-Marie.In 1964, much of Old Montreal was declared ahistoric districtby theMinistère des Affaires culturelles du Québec.

History

Main article:History of Montreal

Early French settlement

Depiction of the first church inFort Ville-Marie.The settlement was established in 1642 under the authority of theSociété Notre-Dame de Montréal.

In 1605,Samuel de Champlainestablished afur-trading postat Place Royale (Old Montreal) at theconfluenceof theSaint Lawrence Riverand thePetite Rivière St-Pierre,a former river in the area. It was adjacent to present-dayPlace D'Youvilleand thePointe-à-Callière Museum.However, the settlers were later forced to abandon the outpost due to incursions by theIroquois.

The original settlement ofMontrealwas founded in 1642. It was known asVille-Marie,and was located in roughly the same location as the trading post set up by de Champlain. The founder,Paul Chomedey de Maisonneuve,built afortin 1643 which would serve as the headquarters for theSociété Notre-Dame de Montréal,an organization whose mission was to convert members ofFirst Nationsto Christianity and establish a Christian settlement inNew France.The company in charge of managing the settlement was founded by theSulpicianJean-Jacques Olierand byJérôme Le Royer (Sieur de La Dauversière).

French colony

A map of Montreal and its fortifications in 1725.

After theSociété Notre-Damedissolved on March 9, 1663,theSulpicians(who arrived in 1657) became theSeigneursof Montreal, as KingLouis XIV of Francetook personal control over thecolony.The new system gave them the island of Montreal, with the obligation to live there and ensure its development by cultivating the land. In 1665, Louis XIV sent 1,200 men from the Régiment de Carignan-Salières. The Sulpicians organizedseigneuriesat the centre of the island. François Dollier Casson established the first grid of streets in the colony, following the paths of existing trails. These early streets included theRue Notre-Dame,theRue Saint-PaulandRue Saint-Jacques.Buildings of the era include theHôtel-Dieu de Montréal,theSaint-Sulpice Old SeminaryandNotre Dame Church(replaced later by theNotre-Dame Basilica).

In the early 18th century, the name "Montreal" (which originally referred to the mountainMont-Royal) gradually replaced that of Ville-Marie. The arrival in 1657 ofMarguerite Bourgeoys(who founded theCongregation Notre-Dame) and the arrival of theJesuitsandRecolletsin 1692, helped to ensure theCatholiccharacter of the settlement. The original fortifications of Montreal, erected in 1717 by Gaspard Chaussegros de Léry, formed the boundaries of Montreal at the time. De Léry had the fortifications constructed to secure the settlement from aBritishinvasion and to allow future expansion inside the walls. Though the walls may have provided security from invasion, they created a different problem: a large concentration of wooden houses (with fireplaces) led to many devastating fires. In 1721, Montreal received a royal order from France to ban wood construction; buildings were to be constructed using stone, but the ban was never fully respected.

British control

Thecapitulation of Montrealduring theSeven Years' War.Montreal and the rest ofNew Francebecame a British colony following the war.

Canada (New France)became a British colony in 1763 after theSeven Years' War.British rule radically changed the face of Old Montreal, partially due to significant fires that destroyed much of the city and provided the British with a mandate to rebuild it. In May 1765, fire destroyed about 110 houses before destroying the old Hôtel de Callière and the former General Hospital. In April 1768, 88 houses between rue Saint-Jean-Baptiste and Hotel Vaudreuil were burned, including the Congregation Notre-Dame convent. Between the two fires, nearly half of the buildings in the city were destroyed. In the following years, the city was rebuilt even more densely. On June 6, 1803, a massive fire destroyed the prison, the church and the dependencies of Jesuits, a dozen houses and theChâteau Vaudreuil.Two speculators bought the Château's gardens, offered one-third to the city, and divided the rest into seven lots of their own. The city's oldest public monument,Nelson's Column,was erected in 1809 on part of the former garden plot and given to the city. This space became the new market square, calledMarché Neuf(New Market) before assuming its present name ofPlace Jacques-Cartierin 1845. The space occupied by the church of the Jesuits became the Place Vauquelin andMontreal City Hallarose from the old Jesuit gardens in 1873.

In 1812, a fire destroyed the luxurious Mansion House hotel, which had been popular with theBeaver Cluband had housed the first public library in Montreal. It was replaced by the British-American Hotel, which contained theJohn Molson-built Royal Theatre, the city's first permanent theatre. The hotel burned in 1833, and was rebuilt in 1845 at theBonsecours Market.In 1849, a riot caused a fire with political consequences when, protesting against a law, aTorycrowdburned down the Parliament buildingin the old Marché Saint-Anne on Place d'Youville. The site of the Parliament fire housed Montreal's first fire station in 1903; the building still exists as the Centre d’histoire de Montréal.

Colonial authorities decided upon the first radical transformation of the area in 1804, with the destruction of the fortifications surrounding the heart of Montreal. Completed in 1815, this enlarged the perimeter of Old Montreal and improved access to suburban communities. The 19th century witnessed the emergence of abourgeoisieof mostly Scottish merchants. The growing activity of the port changed the urban landscape. Old Montreal became less residential, as the rich Scottish and English merchants built extravagant homes closer to Mount Royal (in what would become theGolden Square Mile). Anglophone influence became the dominating force in the areas of banking, manufacturing, commerce, and finance. St. James Street became the financial centre of Montreal, with large banks such as theBank of Montrealand theRoyal Bank of Canada,insurance companies and the stock exchange.

Notre-Dame Basilicais aCatholicchurch completed in 1865.

Rue Saint Amable

Most of the financial buildings on St. James Street were designed by anglophone architects. The same is true for institutional buildings such as the Old Court House and the Customs House designed byJohn Ostell,the Bonsecours Market and even the Notre-Dame Basilica (whose façade is the work of an Irish Protestant from New York,James O'Donnell). The only notable exception is the Montreal City Hall, which was inspired by the Hotel de Ville deRennes.The character of theVictorianstyle of the late-19th-century buildings was a significant change from the stone masonry used during the French era and affected the appearance of Old Montreal.

Decline, preservation, and renewal

The district continued to grow during the early 20th century, evidenced by construction of prestigious buildings such as theAldred Building(1929–1931), La Sauvegarde Building (1913), and the first Stock Exchange (1903–1904). Port activities, the financial sector, and the municipal government helped to maintain activity until theGreat Depressionbegan in 1929. During the Depression, the relocation of port facilities further east deprived Old Montreal of many companies related to the maritime trade, leaving many abandoned warehouses and commercial buildings. The downtown-area relocation several blocks to the north, and the near-complete absence of residents, (there were only a few hundred in 1950), had the effect of emptying the district when businesses closed at the end of the day. At that time, the lack of nightlife gave the district a reputation for being dangerous at night.

Old Montreal increasingly found itself changing to accommodate the rise of the automobile. Several prestigious locations, such as thePlace d'Armes,thePlace d'Youville,and Place Jacques-Cartier, were snarled with traffic in the mid-20th century. For municipal authorities, unaware of its potential heritage value, Old Montreal was an anomaly. City planners considered wider streets, which would have meant razing many older buildings. A proposed elevated highway along the river over the rue de la Commune spurred a movement to preserve the district. Dutch-born architect and urban plannerDaniel van Ginkelplayed a major role in saving the district from destruction during the early 1960s. As assistant director of the City of Montreal's newly formed planning department, he persuaded authorities to abandon plans for an expressway that would have cut through the old city.In 1964, most of Old Montreal was classified as a historic district; despite this, the Quebec government razed several 19th-century buildings to build a new courthouse.

In the early 21st century, the City of Montreal began a revitalization effort of several areas in Old Montreal, includingPlace Jacques-Cartier.

In addition to the return of a residential base, the area has become attractive to the hotel industry. While in the 19th century all major hotels were in Old Montreal, by 1980 there were none.In 2009, there were about 20 hotels, mostly in restored older buildings. A steady stream of tourists and the presence of new residents encourage nightlife and entertainment. In addition, municipal authorities have invested large sums to renew the area's infrastructure. ThePlace Jacques-Cartierand part of the Place d'Youville have been redesigned, and a restoration of the Place d'Armes is in progress. A lighting plan was also developed to highlight the different façade styles. There is now a consensus that the historical legacy of Old Montreal is its major asset. Aided by redevelopment, it is now the leading tourist destination in Montreal.

COVID-19 pandemic impact

During theCOVID-19 pandemic,tourism was absent from the district, which then became a centre of both civil protest against curfewsand other public health measures, and of street celebrations as restrictions lessened.In June 2021,The Toronto Starreported that "With the closure of bars downtown, Old Montreal and its manyAirbnbshave become a playground for criminals. "The Old Port of Montreal then imposed a 12am to 6am curfew for the Old Port area (all properties south ofDe La Commune Street) in response.

However, once the violence in the area receded, Old Montreal became a tourism hub once again, even though the Old Port area kept its 12am to 6am curfew in place. New restaurants opened in the area, including a waterfront terrasse called Les Terrasses de la Marina in the Old Port.Old Montreal also saw its first major supermarket chain open within walking distance of the area whenIGAopened its doors onRobert-Bourassa Boulevardin August 2021.

Architecture and urban planning

Old Montreal is a major tourist attraction.With some of its buildings dating to the 17th century, it is one of the oldest urban areas in North America. In the eastern part of the old city (near Place Jacques-Cartier) the following notable buildings can be found: Montreal City Hall, Bonsecours Market andNotre-Dame-de-Bon-Secours Chapel,as well as preserved colonial mansions, such as theChâteau Ramezayand theSir George-Étienne Cartier National Historic Site of Canada.Further west, Place d'Armes is dominated byNotre-Dame Basilicaon its southern side, accompanied by theSaint-Sulpice Seminary(the oldest extant building in Montreal). The other sides of the square are devoted to commerce; to the north is the formerBank of Montreal Head Officeand to the west, the Aldred Building and the 1888New York Life Building,the oldest skyscraper in Canada. The rest of Saint Jacques Street is lined with old bank buildings (like theOld Royal Bank Building) from its heyday as Canada's financial centre.

Bonsecours Marketis located in the eastern portion of Old Montreal.

The southwest of the old city contains important archeological remains of Montreal's first settlement (around Place d'Youville and Place Royale) in thePointe-à-Callièremuseum. Architecture and cobbled streets in Old Montreal have been maintained or restored to keep the look of the city in its earliest days as a settlement, and horse-drawncalècheshelp maintain that image.

The old town's riverbank is taken up by theOld Port(Vieux-Port), whose maritime facilities are surrounded with recreational space and a variety of museums and attractions. The Iberville terminal on the Alexandra Pier serves as the cruise terminal for about 50,000 passengers annually from large cruise ships plying the Saint Lawrence Seaway.

Champ de Mars

Champ de Marsis a large public space located between Montreal City Hall and theVille-Marie Expressway.It offers a view ofdowntown MontrealandChinatown.It is notable due to its location and its archaeological remains. The two parallel lines of stone are one of the few spots in present-day Montreal where you can still see physical evidence of the fortified settlement from colonial times.

Transportation

Old Montreal is accessible from downtown via theUnderground Cityand is served by severalSTMbus routes and theChamp-de-Mars,Place-d'Armes,andSquare-Victoria-OACIMetrostations.Ferriesto thesouth shorecity ofLongueuilare available during the summer, as are a network ofbicycle paths.

Sources

• Lauzon, Gilles; Forget, Madeleine (2004).Old Montreal: History through Heritage.Montréal: Les Publications du Qhébec. p. 293.ISBN2-551-19654-X.
• McLean, Eric (2004).The Living Past of Montreal.Montréal: McGill University Press. p. 64.
• Pinard, Guy (1987–1995).Montréal, son histoire, son architecture.(6 vol) Montréal: Éditions La Presse, Méridien. p. 1800 pages.ISBN2-89415-039-3.{{cite book}}:CS1 maint: location (link)

External links

• Old Montreal — official site
• Architecture of Old MontréalArchivedJuly 14, 2011, at theWayback Machine
• Photo Gallery of Old MontréalArchivedFebruary 28, 2007, at theWayback Machine
• Picture of Old Montréal on Images Montréal
• Condo Buildings in Old Montreal- an illustrated list
• Marguerite Bourgeoys Museum in Old Montreal
• Walking Old Montreal