Southern Downtown Tour - Beau Interior Designs.
Mai 7 (samedi)
I was going to go to the McCord Museum right opposite from the McGill campus (& I thought it was free to go on Sat 10-12) but decided not to go since I'm never really interested in Canadian history anyway. Mapped out my trip for today in the morning & just up & went. Today's destination: St. Patrick's Basilica, Quartier International, Mary Queen of the World Cathedral, Place du Canada, St. George's Anglican Church, Dorchester Square, & Place Ville Marie.
As I was walking toward the St. Pat's Basilica, I passed by the Christ Church Cathedral and went in to find the Conventry Cross that I read in the guide book (it was mentioned in my earlier post) but I had no idea where it was. So I gave up & moved on. The tulips in the Wollenberg Square were still blossoming!
The exterior of the St. Patrick's Basilica wasn't really catchy but the interior was one of the most beautiful design I had ever seen. The basilicawas known as "The Irish Church". The Gothic-revival church was constructed between 1843 and 1847 and it was classified a historic monument in 1985 and a national historic site in 1996.
The beautiful main altar. I love the color of the interior.
The ceiling of the altar is a mosaic of green and gold.
The pulpit is one of the highlights of this church (0ther than the altar). It's decorated with panels of 12 apostles.
A side altar. Look at all that elaborative art work!
The light floods through the stained-glass figures and lights up the interior.
Thomas Darcy McGee, a father of confederation who was assassinated in 1868, attended this church. A small Canadian flag marks the pew used by him.
The altar and the pulpit & pine coloumns that looked like marbles.
The exterior of the church.
Then I followed rue de Bleury to Quatier International, a place that lies at a transitional point between the modern downtown and the old town. I was expecting something like cafe .. or hot dog stands at least .. but there was NONE. It was a small barren park with a piece of strange art work.
The strange contemporary art work called "La Joute" (The Joust) by Jean-Paul Riopelle. It's actually a fountain.
Beside the small park was the Montreal Convention Center (Palais des congres de Montreal).
The Palais hosts thousands of conferences and expositions.
The colors of glass used here is quite bold.
Then I took the metro to the Bonaventure Station where many tourist attractions are. I got off the metro, without knowing which way should I go, I randomly picked an exit and found myself at the skating rink of Atrium le Mille de la Gauchetiere. It was one of those unplanned discoveries I guess. I think I would never have gone there even if I knew it existed. There always seem to be a reason why you ended up going the wrong way.
The year-round indoor patinoire (skating rink)in the skyscraper atrium.
I needed to get back to the streets to know which direction to go. My official first stop: Mary Queen of the World Cathedral (Cathedrale Marie-Reine-du-Monde).
The Cathedral is situated in the heart of the city's Protestant neighborhood. Ignace Bourget (1799-1885), a Roman Catholic bishop, was determined to build his new cathedral here to assert the Church's authority and its loyalty to Rome.
The Cathedral was modeled after the St. Peter's Basilica in Rome (a 1/4 replica). The gilded neo-baroque baldachin overlooks the altar. This actually reminds me of what I saw in the Vantican church!
The grandiose and elegant work done to the ceiling.
The figure of Bishop Bourget in the east side of the nave. All Montreal's bishops are buried here.
A side-altar.
Exterior of the Mary Queen of the World Cathedral. Don't you just like the name of it? It has so much weight!
Out of the Cathedral was the Place du Canada. There were many people there today. There seemed to be some kind of organized event. The park was constructed to celebrate the founding of the Canadian federation in 1867.
Canon & John A. McDonald. YAY! Canadian federation! No sarcasm here.
Close look at the statue of the guy whose face is on all Canadian $10 bills.
Looking back at the Cathedral from Place du Canada.
The Fairmount Queen Elizabeth Hotel and the statues on top of the Cathedral. I don't think I told you that I was stuck outside of the QE Hotel for 1/2 hr on my first day at Montreal, waiting for a shuttle bus that never came. Fortunately, the porter/chauffer outside of the Hotel was so kind as to help me. =)
Next destination: St. George's Anglican Church!
The church was built in 1872. Its neo-Gothic architecture combines characteristics of both English and French Gothic styles.
Me standing about 2 steps away from the entrance of the Church. My sister is going to kill me b/c I'm wearing her jacket.. haha
My first impression of the church was that it was really DARK. I don't know if it was because they didn't turn the light on or the color furniture used was just dark..
Looking back at the entrance. At the time it was built, the upper balcony (the gallery) was for people who could not afford to "rent" a pew. Those people would just stand around on it. Now, it's not used because it only had 1 exit (fire safety issue). Occassionally, choir may sing up there. The organ up there is quite interesting. Only the right case has pipes. The left case is empty.
The organ of the church - to the left of the main altar.
The place where you get baptised - to the right of the main altar. (I'm not a Christian by the way so I don't exactly know where/how these things work.)
The redwood ceiling - maybe this is why the place seems so dark. This church is also different from the previous ones I saw because there is no decoration on the ceiling! There were only some wooden fans!
Guess what this is. You would not believe this. "The blue tapestry hanging on both sides of the altar of the Coronation Chapel was used during the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II at the Westerminster Abbey (in UK) in 1953." I just can't help but wonder how did that thing get all the way from UK to here.
I just thought this stained-glass window was interesting because its religious reference wasn't as strong as the other ones. "The stained-glass window represents the three branches of the Armed Forces." From right to left: the Navy, the Army, and the Air Forces.
What I like about this church is that it has these small signs at each important spot of the church & it serves as a convenient tour guide.
The front entrance of the Church. NO PARKING~
This train station was completed in 1889 and was once a major passenger terimus for the Canadian Pacific Railway (CPR remember from your high school social studies classes?)
There was no one inside.. NO ONE! This place was empty! There was only a cafe, a barber shop/hair salon, some restaurant, & some offices.
The Train Travel Bulletin- It documents the station's glorious past. The station is now a "trainless shell".
The bronze monument that was meant to commenmorate those lost their lives in constructing the Canadian Pacific Railway.
The plate under the monument reads: "To commenmorate those in the service of the Canadian Pacific railway, who, at the call of king and country, left all that way dear to them, endured hardship, faced danger and finally passed out of sight of men by the path of duty and self-sacrifice, giving up their own lives that others might live in freedom. Let those who come after see to it that their names be not forgotten."
Attempt #1 - Shoot. Missed the monument!
Attempt #4 - YAY. GOT the monument! But.. where's the head of the monument?
Attempt #6 - Finally got it! Who said that traveling solo is easy?
Out of the dead silent station & walked to the Dorchester Square that was actually just north of Place du Canada.
Viewing the skyscrapers of downtown Montreal from the entrance of the station.
Square Dorchester. I guess this is the statue of Sir Wilfrid Laurier (Canada's first French-speaking prime minister)?! There are only 2 statues in this Square but this one was "occupied" by a few people so I didn't go up to read the inscriptions under it.
I was going to eat my lunch here - a picnic. But when I took my guides and read that this park was a Catholic burial ground until 1870 and that the bodies are still buried here, I just felt super aversive and wanted to leave. Who would want to have lunch in a cemetary? Not even Vampires! -> well.. for a different reason (ie. light => kills Vamps, so they say). Ok. Stop digressing Tiffy!
Some kid scaring the wits out of the pigeons in the park.
What's the Scottish poet Robert Burns doing here? I have no idea. He's definitely not a Canadian, that I can assure you. To get a sense of what his poetry is like, read this:
Now haud ye there, ye're out o' sight,
Below the fatt'rels, snug an' tight;
Na faith ye yet! ye'll no be right
Till ye've got on it,
The vera tapmost, towering height
O' Miss's bonnet.
This poem is called "To a Louse". I read it in my English Lit12 class. It's just Scottish, ye know?! Anyway, no idea why he's here.
The Sun Life building on the left - It had been the largest building in the British Empire for a long time. "At one time, it represented teh power of the AngloSaxon establishment in Montreal." The British Crown and a few European countries used this building as a safe for their gold reserves and jewels.
The Tourist Info. Centre right close to the Square. It's like a bookstore but full of brochures of accomodations, places to eat, etc.
After getting some info on traveling to Quebec City, I went to Place Ville Marie. It was Montreal's first modern skyscraper. The mall underneath was the start of the underground city.
Place Ville Marie is cross-shaped and it was originally dedicadicated to the Blessed Virgin.
A table in the cafeteria reflects the skyscraper nearby.
A nice mall~
posted by Champagne* @ 5:43 PM
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