One would like that our old historical buildings remained intact as they were when built. Most of them have evolved, sometimes have been rebuilt after a fire, expanded or transformed. It Is the case with the Château Ramezay. Claude Ramezay was Governor of Montréal (he had been Governor of Trois-Rivières before) and he had his house built in 1705-1706 on a three feet thick stone walls. After a fire in 1754, the house was rebuilt and enlarged in 1758 in part on its original foundations. It is at the end of the 19th century that it was baptized the “Castle”.
As the majority of our witnesses of history, the Château Ramezay has had several vocations in its three hundred years of existence. First house of the Governor, it has been leased to the King to accommodate the Intendant and became in 1745 offices of the Compagnie des Indes which had the monopoly of fur exports. ThehHouse later became residence of Governors, military headquarters under the English occupation, courthouses, school of medicine and finally Museum in 1885.
It was more beautiful (to my taste) a few years ago with its stone walls. Then, probably to protect the walls against the weather, it has been covered with mortar. The turret on the east side is not original. It was added in 1903.
A few years after the opening of the Museum (1895), a very nice collection of the society of archaeology and coin currency was exposed. It grew over time. The Nantes room did not exist originally. It is only in 1957 that rich mahogany panels were brought to cover the wall of this room which took the name of Nantes Room. The panels came from a building of Nantes in France which had belonged to the West Indies Company.
The basement is also very interesting to visit. We are invited to relive the daily lives of our ancestors of the 18th century. We can see furniture, kitchen, oven, and even models dressed as to the days of the past. Native American prehistory is also present through everyday objects showing a culture that was adapted to an environment not always clement. Temporary exhibitions vary exploiting a variety of themes.
Mr. de Ramezay had also a garden. In the year 2000 the Museum made a reconstruct of it if not identical, at least in the style and content of the gardens of the nobility.
Visiting the Chateau Ramezay is a must.
