Montreal is the second-largest city in Canada and the largest city in the province of
Quebec. Originally called Ville-Marie ('City of Mary'), some historians think the city takes its
present name from the Mont Réal (as it was pronounced in Middle French , or Mont Royal
/ Mount Royal in present French), the three-head hill at the heart of the city, whose name
was also initially given to the island on which the city stands.
In 2007, Montreal was ranked as the 10th cleanest city in the world. Montreal is ranked as a "gamma" or "minor world city" by the Globalization and World Cities Study Group and Network (GaWC).
Archeological evidence suggests that various nomadic native peoples had occupied the
island of Montreal for at least 2,000 years before the arrival of Europeans. With the
development of the maize horticulture, the St. Lawrence Iroquoians established the
village of Hochelaga at the foot of the Mount Royal. The French explorer Jacques Cartier
visited Hochelaga on October 2, 1535, claiming the St. Lawrence Valley for France. He
estimated the population to be "over a thousand".
Seventy years later, French explorer Samuel de Champlain reported that the St. Lawrence
Iroquoians and their settlements had disappeared altogether from the St. Lawrence
valley, likely due to inter-tribe wars, European diseases, and out-migration. Champlain
established in 1611 a fur trading post on the Island of Montreal, on a site initially named
La Place Royale, at the confluence of Saint-Pierre river and St-Lawrence river, where
present-day Pointe-à-Callière stands.
Montreal was incorporated as a city in 1832. The opening of the Lachine Canal permitted
ships to bypass the unnavigable Lachine Rapids, while the construction of the Victoria
Bridge established Montreal as a major railway hub. These linked the established Port of
Montréal with continental markets and spawned rapid industrialization during the mid
1800s. The economic boom attracted French Canadian labourers from the surrounding
countryside to factories in satellite cities such as Saint-Henri and Maisonneuve. Irish
immigrants settled in tough working class neighbourhoods such as Point Saint Charles
and Griffintown, making English and French linguistic groups roughly equal in size. By
1852, Montreal had 60,000 inhabitants; by 1860, it was the largest city in British North
America and the undisputed economic and cultural centre of Canada.
Montreal was the capital of the Province of Canada from 1844 to 1849, but lost its status
when a Tory mob burnt down the Parliament building to protest passage of the Rebellion
Losses Bill.
PLACE TO VISIT
Old Montreal and the Old Port - An area devoted to tourists, Old Montreal is
not the place to see the locals at play. The Old Port is a large waterfront green space with
attractions such as Cirque du Soleil, the Montreal Science Center, the Labyrinth, the
Clock Tower, and a large outdoor audio-visual stage which is the site for the Canada Day
fireworks.
Chinatown - accessible at the Place-D'Armes metro station, is one of the largest
Asian communities in Canada. It is known best for its many restaurants and gift shops.
Plateau Mont-Royal - Some of Canada's most densely populated residential
neighbourhoods can be found right in the heart of the city, on the leafy and colourful
Plateau Mont-Royal. The now infamous 'Horse To Water' (H2W) postal district is officially
the most creative place in Canada, with 8% of the population deriving their primary
income from artistic or creative work.
St. Joseph's Oratory - The largest church in Canada. A favourite pilgrimage for
devotees of Brother André, who was reputed to have healed the sick and handicapped.
Includes a remarkable collection of crutches and canes from the healed. During summer,
it is also possible to stroll through the beautiful garden next to the Oratory which features
the Stages of the Cross in marble sculptures. The garden is peaceful and beautifully
maintained. The views from both the Oratory and the garden are magnificent and
well-worth the climb. Watch for the faithful climbing on their knees to the top.
Basilique Notre-Dame - Probably the city's most spectacular church, a gem of
Victorian Gothic. Entrance fee is $4 (2007). Service is at 17:00 daily and on Sunday
morning, entrance is free for worship but donations are suggested. During service, the
organ music is not to be missed. While it shouldn't have to be mentioned, tourists should
be respectful during services.
Christ Church Cathedral - It is a small but colourful church, the mother church
of the region's Anglican (Episcopalian) denomination. Of special interest is the organ with
additional remote-controlled organ pipes in the front of the church. If you have the
opportunity to listen to an organ concert there, you should go. The concert will probably be
by donation only.
Montreal Biosphere - The former United States pavillion from Expo 67, a
geodesic dome designed by R. Buckminster Fuller. It now houses an Environment
Canada museum dedicated to water and the environment.
Insectarium - The Insectarium is a museum of sorts centered on the insect world. A
few living specimens and many displays, with occasional special exhibits, sometimes
offering visitors the opportunity to eat various insect-based dishes from around the world.
The Insectarium is attached to the Botanical Gardens and tickets can only be purchased
for both.
Parc Jean-Drapeau - Part of the site of the 1967 World's Fair, now devoted to
green spaces and a large outdoor concert venue. The Gilles Villeneuve racing circuit,
home of the Montreal Formula 1 Grand Prix, an artificial beach, a huge outdoor pool
complex and the Montreal Casino are also located on or around the parc.
The Underground City - This network of underground malls and passageways
is a very convenient way to walk around during the winter months. It encompasses 6
metro stations on the green and orange lines and all of the major downtown shopping
malls, encompassing food courts, cinemas, innumerable boutiques and services.
HOW TO REACH
By plane - Montreal's Pierre Elliott Trudeau Airport (formerly Dorval Airport) is about
half an hour west of the city centre on highway 20. Note that travel time to the airport from
the city centre can be as much as an hour, depending on traffic. The airport is served by
all major Canadian and U.S. airlines, and is a major hub for Air Canada and WestJet .
There are multiple daily trans-Atlantic flights to and from (amongst others) London,
Amsterdam, Paris, Frankfurt, Rome, Madrid, Lisbon, Munich, Moscow, Cairo and
Casablanca.
By car - From Toronto, take Highway 401 east for about 5 hours until it becomes
Autoroute 20 on the Quebec side of the border. Highway 20 takes about an hour to get to
downtown. Be alert for frequent speed-limit changes along this road. To reach downtown
follow the Centre-Ville signs and take Highway 720 (Highway 20 continues over the Pont
Champlain bridge to the South Shore).
From Ottawa, it's about 2 hours east along Highway 417 (which becomes the 40 in
Quebec) to Montreal. From Quebec City, it's about 2.5-3.5 hours west on either Highway
40 or 20.
By train - Montreal Central Station (Gare Centrale) is at 895 De La Gauchetière West,
one block west of rue University, and is served by the Bonaventure metro (subway)
station. VIA Rail Canada operates fast and comfortable passenger trains from Montreal
along the busy Quebec-Ontario 'corridor' and to destinations in northern Quebec, New
Brunswick and Nova Scotia. All fares below are five-day advance booking prices for one
way travel in 'Comfort' (coach / economy) class, expect to pay almost 50% more if you
book on the day of travel. 'VIA-1' (first / business) class is available for a premium, and
includes refreshments, snacks and pay-per-use wireless internet in both station lounges
and on board the train. An ISIC student card can obtain a discount on all services
By bus - There are extensive services to Montreal from cities in Ontario, Quebec, New
York, Vermont and Maine. Buses arrive and depart from the Station Centrale d'autobus
(not to be confused with the Gare Centrale or central train station) at 505 boulevard De
Maisonneuve Est, (directly above the Berri-UQÀM métro station]. Call 514-842-2281 for
schedules and prices.
