Montreal is a big city that often attracts many tourists, but do locals really know their metropolis? There are three new guided tours to discover this spring.
Organized by Héritage Montréal, these visits allow visitors to explore the eastern part of downtown by showcasing its institutions, business complexes, and cultural landmarks. Participants will have the opportunity to learn more about the development of this sector between the 19th and 21st centuries.
Here are the three circuits featured this spring:
1. On the trail of a suburb (April 25, May 4, 16 and 25, 2023)
During this visit you will learn more about the Faubourg Saint-Laurent, a historical component of the sector. “Although this sector has undergone major interventions since the 1950s, it retains traces of its evolution, which become apparent when we look at the scale of contemporary buildings and facilities,” it was noted. .
2. Modern large-scale construction sites (April 27, May 9, 18 and 30, 2023)
Habitations Jeanne-Mance, Place des Art and Complexe Desjardins are all important construction sites that have contributed to the modernization of the sector. “These new complexes are changing the urban fabric of a sector that was then very residential. The different poles – commercial, institutional and cultural – have since been integrated into its unique landscape.”
3. The Architecture of Entertainment (May 2, 11 and 23, June 1, 2023)
As we know, Montreal is a city where culture and entertainment shine. But art does not only appear on stage. “From the first French-language theaters, including Monument-National, to the gambling dens and cabarets associated with Montreal’s red light, the east end of downtown has been shaped by the world of entertainment. The construction of the Place des Arts confirms the cultural vocation of what is now known as the Quartier des Spectacles.”
Thanks to this third route, it will be possible to discover the architecture that has shaped the cultural universe of the city.