MAISON GRAY-rue St-Vincent MONTREAL

JEAN VAUQUELIN (PLACE VAUQUELIN-MONTRÉAL

Do you know the Square Neptune? Its name was changed several times. It was located between the City Hall and the first Palais de Justice, where Place Vauquelin is today. Under the British domination the Jesuit’s building had been transformed into a prison with 50 cells in the underground. It was an unhealthy location. Criminals of all kinds were crammed there, murderers, thieving, men, women or prostitutes with their children. A single meal per day was served. The Champs-de-Mars was used for the hangings. In the 1803 fire, the prison was destroyed but not the underground cells. A new prison was built in Le Pied-du-Courant.
Finally a new Palace of Justice was built on the place. It does not exist anymore but the underground cells still remain. In 1858 the place became Square Neptune, with a fountain where throned a small statue of Neptune. In 1924, the Square received a new name Place de l’Hôtel because of the new construction of the City Hall. Finally, its actual name Place Vauquelin was given in 1930.

A beautiful monument took place sponsored by the Société Saint-Jean-Baptiste. Captain Jean Vauquelin participated in the defense of the city of Quebec in 1759. The following year, he brought a fleet to Quebec to provide the French army with supplies. But a few days later, an English fleet arrived before the city. In attempting to draw away two English frigates, its Atalante frigate was stuck in Neuville. The two English ships shot around 800 cannonballs on the French ship. Injured, taken prisoner, he was released because of his courage. He then returned to France. The monument represents Vauquelin defending its frigate reduced to a state of wreckage.

Why has this location been chosen for this monument? It has been chosen because in front, on Jacques-Cartier Square, stands the Nelson column. Who was Nelson? He was the Admiral who defeated the Franco-Spanish fleet in Trafalgar, thus preventing Napoleon to attack England. Nelson died during battle. The French-Canadian elite therefore wanted to counterweight British dominance symbol. Two heroes are facing one another. Courage belongs to all nations; the two monuments seem to say.

PEOPLE'S BANK - MONTREAL

MAISON DE LA SAUVEGARDE = MONTRÉAL

L'ALLIANCE FRANÇAISE- MONTRÉAL

¸PALAIS DE JUSTICE #1 MONTRÉAL

There are three courthouses in Montreal. The first one is located close to the City Hall on the Notre Dame Street. In fact, the “real” first one built in 1823 no longer exists. It was destroyed by fire in 1844. On the same location, but much larger, another one was in built. That’s the building still existing and it is known as the “first” Palace. It is very beautiful and majestic with its columns that suggest an air of ancient Greece. Its architecture gives an impression of a temple, of something sacred, an image that was given then to justice.

It was inaugurated in 1856. At that moment, the building was one story lower and the dome did not exist. These additions were made from 1890 to 1894. It has been used as courts up to 1971. However, in 1922 the criminal cases were transferred at a new Palace in front of the first one. It will be discussed in a next page. Only civil cases were kept. A tunnel connected the two Palaces. Now it hosts offices of the city of Montréal.

PALAIS DE JUSTICE #2 MONTRÉAL

A second law courts was built from 1922 to 1925 in front of the first that did not match anymore the needs of the city which was taking more expansion. Beside the archives were endangered to be destroyed by an eventual fire. Three architects created it but the Palace is named according to the third one only, Palace Ernest Cormier. It was build in Neo-classical style with columns on the facade remembering the Church La Madeleine of Paris. Justice was still giving the image of the temple, of worship. The criminal cases were transferred from the first palace to the second one. The two buildings were linked by an underground corridor. In addition to the courtroom, there were also dormitories for jurors, premises reserved to the police, and of course cells for prisoners and rooms for judges and lawyers.

On the magnificent bronze door six bas-reliefs illustrate justice through the ages. On one of them a Latin expression can be read: “Dura lex sed lex”, otherwise said, the law is hard but it is the law. On the fronton another Latin sentence can be read “Who violates the law look in vain for it assistance”. Some criminals seem to get away with...

The building has had several vocations. As the third law courts building was completed in 1972, the second one hosted the national archives of Quebec. Then the Conservatory of music moved there as well as the conservatoire of drama. Finally, Justice came back. The Court of appeal of Quebec, after appropriate renovations, took possession of the building.

SMITH HOUSE MONTREAL

HÒTEL RICHELIEU MONTREAL

STORE/WAREHOUSE T.TIFFIN MONTRÉAL

MONTREAL (QUEBEC)

Montreal was officially founded in 1642. A small group of fervent French, under the leadership of Paul Chomedey de Maisonneuve, set up in the island. Their aim was to convert the Indians to Christianity. But the next year, the Iroquois began to attack the small city. The Indian raids ceased in 1701 when many tribes signed the “Great Peace Treaty of Montreal”.

The city evolved under the French administration. The main activity was the fur trade, a very lucrative activity. In 1759, Quebec City fell under the British power and the next year, Montreal surrendered without a single shot. The French authorities left the country. The French traders and merchants could not sell anything anywhere. The Scots came, some with money, but all of them bold and daring and with every possible opportunity to trade in the whole British Empire. And so they did.

The City evolved following the modern inventions. While the fur trade was still flourishing, all kinds of trades were possible because of the British Empire. The possibility to build higher changed the look of the City. Electricity, transportation, trains, boats, they all helped to adapt the city to the changing world.

Luckily the Old Montreal Port was preserved in its original state because the city-center moved gradually to the North, mainly on Sherbrooke Street. Montrealais and tourists are thus happy to visit an environment full of yesterday life and history, partly French, partly English and a mixture of both.

ÉGLISE NOTRE-DAME MONTRÉAL.

They saw great. They even hired an architect from New York, James O'Donnell. He had to build the church two or three times larger than the largest churches of America, nothing less! It was in 1823. The Notre-Dame church remained the largest religious temple in America for very long. Its constructor converted to Catholicism before dying but could not see his finished work. He is buried under the Basilica and a marble plaque indicates the place.

Notre-Dame Basilica is not the first church built on the same location. A smaller one had been erected in the center of the current Notre-Dame Street and enlarged a few times. As the population increased, it was then decided to build a larger and more beautiful construction which ended around 1830.

A chapel dedicated to Notre-Dame-du-Sacré-Coeur was added in 1891. A criminal fire destroyed it in 1978. The Church was fortunately saved. The Chapel was rebuilt in 1982 and seems very popular for the celebration of marriages.

The decoration was done in the style of the Sainte-Chapelle of Paris after 1870. The vault is decorated with gold stars. If one takes a guided tour, he will hear the guide give the exact number of stars. The stained glass windows, made in France, describe the history of Ville-Marie. The two towers are not exactly the same height. The West Tower “Perseverance” is 63 meter high while its companion “Temperance” is 61 meters. The brass “Gros Bourdon”” of the perseverance Tower weighs only 11, 263 kg and sings for special occasions. As to temperance, it houses a 10 bell carillon.

Sad or happy events happened during its history. Pope John Paul II visited it in 1984. It hosted the great international Eucharistic Congress in 1910. Celine Dion and René got married in it. Funerals of important people have been celebrated there: Sir George - Etienne Cartier, Maurice Richard, Pierre-Elliott Trudeau and other characters that marked our history.

As the church maintenance costs a lot, tourists are invited to give a donation. But when a mass is celebrated…

MONTREAL TOWN HALL

Built between 1872 and 1878, we would like that it was kept as seen nowadays. Unfortunately, it has also suffered the horrors of the fire in 1922. The Firefighters so watered the building that there ensued a flood on Craig Street. Many frescoes were thus destroyed. Only the fronts as well as archives stored in the basement have been saved. It was rebuilt in the style of the City Hall of Tours in France. A fourth floor was added. Since 1926, its doors are open to the public. A certain July 24 1967, a very well known man became more famous by saying four words that produced turmoil: “Vive le Québec libre!”

In 1827 Montreal became a city. Previously, it was under appointed magistrates chosen by the Government. The first mayor was Jacques Viger whose memory is honored by a street in his name and the ancient Viger station. There were eight districts originally. Today, the city is divided into nineteen “Arrondissements”.