McGill and Basilica

Monday 4th May 2009

Following the road from our hotel, we arrived at McGill University. Summer has brought students out on the fields to play sports or just lie on the slopes of the field.

Above is Redpath Museum. Common exhibits such as skeletons of dinosaurs, origins of the universe, ancient egyptian civilisation. There was also artifacts such as Samurai armours, Japanese Buddha statue, Shrunken heads of the Jivaro people and Colombian body art.

Outside the Engineering building. Just beside it, we went into the Architecture building and also stepped into a sort-of Family Studies lecture that was about to start.

The Irish Protestant turned Catholic James O'Donnel was the Basilica's architect. Basilique Notre Dame de Montreal with interior design inspired by Sainte-Chapelle in Paris. Benjamin-Victor Rousselot, the priest from 1866 till 1882 contracted architect Victor Bourgeau for the interior design. Completed eventually about 1880. The Eucharist is the centrepiece. The four sculptures depicts the sacrifice as told in the Old Testament. Six Multicoloured statues represent St. Peter, St Paul and the four Evangelist. At the top, Mary crowned by her son is depicted.

The Stained-glass windows, designed by Jean-Baptiste Lagacé and executed in Francis Chigot's workshop in Limoges, France, depicts scenes from Montreal's social and religious history. The Notre-Dame parish's history dates back to origins of Montreal when it was founded in 1642 by Paul de Chomedey de Maisonneuve. And until 1659, the faithgul gathered in a wooden chapel. Ministered at first by Jesuits and then the Sulpicians in 1657. On Notre Dame Street in 1672 and 1683, a stone church was built but by 1800 the parishoners had grown to a huge mass that exceeded the capacity of the stone church.

Notre-Dame du Sacré-Coeur Chapel is located behind the Sanctuary and altar of the Basilica. Built between 1888 and 1891 according to Mesnard and Perreault's plans. But in December 1978, the chapel was almost entirely destroyed by fire except for part which was restored. The monumental bronze altarpiece above depicts humanity's progress along life's difficult paths (the 3 arches).

Other things about the church is that they have a lights show on some days of the week which I missed because of a Youth Orchestra Concert. See future post about 2nd May 2009 when we just arrived. Otherwise, there is an admission fee. I was not pleased about it.

Opposite the Basilica is the Bank of Montreal where I closed my account and drew out the remainder of my 1000+CAD. I was so scared of being mugged or leaving my bag around.

We walked around Old Montreal, revisiting places such as the Marche, the Hótel de Ville de Montréal before heading downtown- Boulevard Saint-Lauren and Rue Saint Catherine. Above is the area outside Musée dÁrt Contemporain and Théâtre Maisonneuve named after the founder on the left is . A quartet playing indian beats or more SEA-esque styled instruments. I had wanted to go watch a classical recital at Mc Gill's Schulich School of Music at night or even an acoustic set at the student cafe.