Last updated: 28 August 2019
Set on an island in the Saint Lawrence River, Montreal is named after Mount Royal, a triple-peaked hill in the heart of the city. Once the industrial and financial centre of Canada, its legacy as a French colony can still be seen in the cobbled streets of Old Montreal where there are over 50 National Historic Sites of Canada. More recently, Montreal played host to the 1967 National Exhibition (better known as Expo 67) which brought with it the opportunity to build more explorative architecture that pushed the boundaries of modern architecture. Habitat 67 by Moshe Safdie and the Biosphere by Buckminster Fuller are just two of the cities better known architectural wonders.
Check out the MUST-SEE Architecture in Montreal below. I hope you find it useful as you walk its streets (there’s a map at the bottom to guide you around). As you see with the date at the top, this list is always updating as new projects are completed. If you want to see your photo featured, hashtag #AVONTUURA on Instagram and I will try my best to include it.
Onwards!
Modern Architecture
Habitat 67
Visiting Information:
Architect: Moshe Safdie
Built: 1967
Type: Housing
Address: 2600 Pierre-Dupuy Ave, Montreal, QC H3C 3R6
Open to the Public: No
Website: www.habitat67.com
Montreal Olympic Stadium
Visiting Information:
Architect: Roger Taillibert
Built: 1973
Type: Sports Stadium
Address: 4141 Pierre-de Coubertin Ave, Montreal, QC H1V 3N7
Open to the Public: Yes
Hours: Guided tours are Tuesday to Sunday, 10-5pm. During the summer hours are 10-6pm.
Cost: $18.50
Website: www.parcolympique.qc.ca
Biosphere
Visiting Information:
Architect: Buckminster Fuller
Built: 1967
Type: Environment Museum
Address: 60 Chemin du Tour de l’isle, Montréal, QC H3C 4G8
Open to the Public: Yes
Hours: Spring and Fall it is open Thursday to Sunday, 10-5pm. Summers it is open daily, 10-5pm.
Cost: $15.00. Free during Canadian Environment Week June 4-11.
Website: www.ec.gc.ca/biosphere
Contemporary Architecture
Grand Library of Québec
Visiting Information:
Architect: Patkau Architects + Croft Pelletier + Men
Built: 2005
Type: Library
Address: 475, boulevard De Maisonneuve Est, Montréal (Québec) H2L 5C4
Open to the Public: Yes
Hours: Monday to Friday 10am-10pm, Saturday to Sunday 10am-6pm
Palais des Congrés
Visiting Information:
Architect: Hal Ingberg architecte
Built: 2003
Type: Convention Centre
Address: 4844, avenue Henri-Julien, Montréal Canada H2T 2E1
Open to the Public: Yes
Website: www.congresmtl.com
Dendrites
https://www.instagram.com/p/BqfKGEJHQX6/
Visiting Information:
Architect: Studio Michel de Broin
Built: 2017
Type: Sculpture
Address: 999 Boulevard Robert-Bourassa, Montréal, QC H3C 5H7
Open to the Public: Yes
Le 2-22
Visiting Information:
Architect: Ædifica + Gilles Huot Architectes
Built: 2011
Type: Office
Address: 2 St Catherine St E, Montreal, QC H2X 1K4
Open to the Public: No
Website: www.congresmtl.com
Stade de Soccer de Montreal
Visiting Information:
Architect: Saucier + Perotte, HCMA
Built: 2015
Type: Athletic Centre
Address: 9235 Avenue Papineau, Montreal, QC H2M 2G5
Open to the Public: Yes
Hours: Daily, 8am-11pm
Saint-Laurent Sports Complex
Visiting Information:
Architect: Saucier + Perotte, HCMA
Built: 2017
Type: Athletic Centre
Address: 2385 Boulevard Thimens, Saint-Laurent, QC H4R 1T4
Open to the Public: Yes
Hours: Daily, 8:30am-10pm, Weekends 8:30am-9:30pm
Bibliothèque du Boisé
Visiting Information:
Architect: Lemay
Built: 2014
Type: Library
Address: 2727 Boulevard Thimens, Saint-Laurent, QC H4R 1T4
Open to the Public: Yes
Hours: Monday to Wednesday 11am-9pm, Thursday to Friday 11am-8pm, Saturday to Sunday 10am-5pm
Maison des Étudiants de l’ÉTS
Visiting Information:
Architect: Menkès Shooner Letourneaux Architectes
Built: 2016
Type: Educational
Address: 1220 Rue Notre-Dame O, Montréal, QC H3C 1K5, Canada
Open to the Public: Yes
Pointe-à-Callière Museum
Visiting Information:
Architect: Dan Hanganu
Built: 1992
Type: Museum of Archaeology and History
Address: 350 Place Royale, Montreal, QC H2Y 3Y5
Open to the Public: Yes
Hours: Weekdays: 10am – 6pm, Weekends: 11am – 6pm
Cost: $8 – $22
Website: https://pacmusee.qc.ca/en/
Historic Architecture
Notre-Dame Basilica of Montreal
https://www.instagram.com/p/BwhKqW1HDt7/
Visiting Information:
Architect: James O’Donnell, François Baillairgé, Victor Bourgeau, John Ostell
Built: 1823
Style: Gothic
Address: 110 Notre-Dame St W, Montreal, QC H2Y 1T2
Open to the Public: Yes
Hours: Monday to Saturday: 8:00am – 4:00pm, Sunday 12:30pm – 4:00pm
Cost: $8. Guided tours also available
Website: https://www.basiliquenotredame.ca/fr/
Bonsecours Market
https://www.instagram.com/p/B1Uj4l2B5og/
Visiting Information
Architect: William Footner
Built: 1844-1847
Style: Rennaisance Revival
Address: 350, rue Saint-Paul Est, Montreal
Open to the Public: Yes
Hours: Daily: 1:00am – 6:00pm
Website: http://www.marchebonsecours.qc.ca/en/index.html
City Hall
Visiting Information:
Architect: Henri-Maurice Perrault, Alexander Cowper Hutchison
Built: 1872-1828
Style: Second Empire architecture
Address: 275 Notre-Dame St. East, Montreal, QC H2Y 1C6
Open to the Public: Yes
Hours: Monday to Saturday: 8:00am – 4:00pm, Sunday 12:30pm – 4:00pm
Website: ville.montreal.qc.ca/
Sun Life Building
Visiting Information:
Architect: Darling, Pearson and Cleveland, Le Groupe Arcop
Built: 1913 – 1931
Style: Beaux-Arts
Address: 1155 Metcalfe St, Montreal, QC H3B 2V6
Open to the Public: Unknown
Hours: Monday to Saturday: 8:00am – 4:00pm, Sunday 12:30pm – 4:00pm
Website: http://edificesunlife.ca/
St. Joseph’s Oratory
Visiting Information:
Architect: Paul Bellot, Alphonse Venne, Dalbé Viau, Lucien Parent
Built: 1967
Style: Italian Rennaissance
Address: 3800 Queen Mary Rd, Montreal, QC H3V 1H6
Open to the Public: Yes
Hours: Refer to website
Website: https://www.saint-joseph.org/fr/
Mary, Queen of the World Cathedral
Visiting Information:
Architect: Victor Bourgeau
Built: 1875 – 1894
Style: Baroque, Renaissance
Address: 1085 Rue de la Cathédrale, Montréal, QC H3B 2V3
Open to the Public: Yes
Fort de la Montagne
Visiting Information:
Built: 1685
Address: 2065 Sherbrooke St. W, Montreal, QC H3H 1E3
Open to the Public: Yes
Want to see your picture featured or wish to have it removed? Send all inquiries to karl@avontuura.com
We do our best to provide accurate and up-to-date information, locations, and opening hours whenever possible. We recommend that you double-check any information that you may need to ensure your visit is a success.
Architect: Lemay
Built: 2014
Type: Library
Address: 2727 Boulevard Thimens, Saint-Laurent, QC H4R 1T4
Open to the Public: Yes
Hours: Monday to Wednesday 11am-9pm, Thursday to Friday 11am-8pm, Saturday to Sunday 10am-5pm
Architect: Saucier + Perotte, HCMA
Built: 2015
Type: Athletic Centre
Address: 9235 Avenue Papineau, Montreal, QC H2M 2G5
Open to the Public: Yes
Hours: Daily, 8am-11pm
Architect: Ædifica + Gilles Huot Architectes
Built: 2011
Type: Office
Address: 2 St Catherine St E, Montreal, QC H2X 1K4
Open to the Public: No
Website: www.congresmtl.com
Architect: Hal Ingberg architecte
Built: 2003
Type: Convention Centre
Address: 4844, avenue Henri-Julien, Montréal Canada H2T 2E1
Open to the Public: Yes
Website: www.congresmtl.com
Architect: Patkau Architects + Croft Pelletier + Men
Built: 2005
Type: Library
Address: 475, boulevard De Maisonneuve Est, Montréal (Québec) H2L 5C4
Open to the Public: Yes
Hours: Monday to Friday 10am-10pm, Saturday to Sunday 10am-6pm
Architect: Buckminster Fuller
Built: 1967
Type: Environment Museum
Address: 60 Chemin du Tour de l'isle, Montréal, QC H3C 4G8
Open to the Public: Yes
Hours: Spring and Fall it is open Thursday to Sunday, 10-5pm. Summers it is open daily, 10-5pm.
Cost: $15.00. Free during Canadian Environment Week June 4-11.
Website: www.ec.gc.ca/biosphere
Architect: Roger Taillibert
Built: 1973
Type: Sports Stadium
Address: 4141 Pierre-de Coubertin Ave, Montreal, QC H1V 3N7
Open to the Public: Yes
Hours: Guided tours are Tuesday to Sunday, 10-5pm. During the summer hours are 10-6pm.
Cost: $18.50
Website: www.parcolympique.qc.ca
Architect: Moshe Safdie
Built: 1967
Type: Housing
Address: 2600 Pierre-Dupuy Ave, Montreal, QC H3C 3R6
Open to the Public: No
Website: www.habitat67.com
