St. Joseph's (the husband of St.Mary and Father of Jesus) Oratory of Mount Royal is the highest point in Montreal city, Canada. To reach there you have to climb 283 steps from the street level. Offering one of the most beautiful views of Montreal, the Oratory is complex of Votive chapel, Brother Andre's Tomb, Crypt Church, the Oratory museum, Basilica and Original Chapel - St. Andre Beset Chapel. The construction of a tiny chapel in this place started in 1904 by Brother Andre and friends. The final construction was completed in 1967 – 30 years after the Brother Andre’s death. The Dome is 60 m. (195 ft.) high from the floor to the peak – the second largest in the world, after St. Peter’s in Rome. Italian Renaissance style architecture, the Basilica feathers Corinthian columns, stained glass masterpieces and one of the largest complexes in North America of 56 bells. More than 2 million tourist and believers visit the Oratory each year.
We visited St. Joseph Oratory in the morning of the first day of our excursion in Montreal using sightseeing bus. After 2 hours looking around we continued to the second more interested place for us in Montreal – The Notre-Dame Basilica. The most magnificent landmark of Vieux-Montreal is this mammoth Gothic Cathedral, designed by Irish architect James O’Donnel and build between 1824-29. This replica of Notre-Dame de Paris Catholic Church has a stunning interior, that features walnut-wood carving, exclusive stained-glass windows, 24-carat gold stars in a vaulted blue ceiling, as well as one of the largest Organs in North America, built in 1891 by Joseph Casavant.. We did not missed the fine art paintings in the impressive Chapelle du Sacre-Coeur (opened 1891, like “Wedding Chapel’) hidden behind the altar. The most mention celebrity wedding is that of the famous Canadian singer Celine Dion in 1994. It was permitted taking photos in both Cathedrals without using flashlight. We took a lot of photos and the best of them are shown in this blog-album.
