# Montréal - Cold...... and warm!



## Taller Better (Aug 27, 2005)

Glad you like them, Joe! Next time you come back to Toronto, let's meet up for a pint! :cheers:


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## Taller Better (Aug 27, 2005)

I would like to show you some of my shots from my trip to Montreal last weekend! First some pics from the breathtakingly beautiful Olympic Stadium, and then a few wee shots from Old Montreal. First I show what the area around the Olympic Stadium looked, probably around 90 years ago:





























I took the ride up that inclined tower (Montreal Tower), which gave spectacular views of the city. This was part of the Olympic Stadium grounds, but I don't think it is used for anything anymore:
































































The Olympic Village:










Saputo Stadium:










Looking down at the Biodome:










and a few snaps from my very favourite part of the city: Old Montreal:


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## LtBk (Jul 27, 2004)

Great pictures!


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## PortoNuts (Apr 26, 2008)

Great thread!:cheers:

Montreal is truly an amazing city. The city distances itself from the typical North American city, which can be seen in Old Montreal with this European touch.


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## Taller Better (Aug 27, 2005)

and finally a photo from Montreal's waterfront:


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## Bristol Mike (Aug 5, 2007)

Fantastic shots. Those pictures of the Old City really bring a sense of France don't they, such a pretty-lloking area. Equally though, the waterfront picture at the end looks brilliant - Montreal certainly has an impressive skyline too.


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## Huti (Nov 13, 2008)

dude, what a city!


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## xzmattzx (Dec 24, 2004)

Nice pictures!

I remember that pretty much whenever the Phillies played in Montreal, Harry Kalas and the others would talk about the problems with the stadium. Sometimes it was the roof not opening, sometimes it was the roof not closing, sometimes it was the AstroTurf, and so on. The players and teams did not like playing there.


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## El Mariachi (Nov 1, 2007)

I dig the last set, with the skyline shots.


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## Taller Better (Aug 27, 2005)

Thanks, guys! I had a great time taking them!


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## Niyyu (Aug 7, 2007)

old montreal is wonderful!


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## kardeee (Jul 25, 2009)

Exceptional thread TB!


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## Chadoh25 (Dec 28, 2007)

Super thread!


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## Taller Better (Aug 27, 2005)

I'm headed back very soon, and maybe will take a few more pics!


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## christos-greece (Feb 19, 2008)

Very nice updated photos of Montreal, @Taller, Better


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## Johnny Blade (Feb 8, 2009)

I guess you're not the only one going "very soon"! 

I'll be passing through Montreal next week on my way up to la Ville de Quebec, I'll take a few more pics too.


Taller said:


> I'm headed back very soon, and maybe will take a few more pics!


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## christos-greece (Feb 19, 2008)

^^ It will be nice to see those photos too


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## eduardo_koreshkov (Aug 30, 2008)

Awesome.
What a city!
Trully an exceptional thread


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## Taller Better (Aug 27, 2005)

Thank you, sir! Glad you enjoyed the tour. Visit Montréal sometime!


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## christos-greece (Feb 19, 2008)

I think we need some updates of Montreal, Taller, Better


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## HipHopCanada (Feb 13, 2009)

I second that!


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## corredor06 (Oct 13, 2008)

Very nice


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## timo9 (Oct 24, 2008)

hummmm some places reminds me some memories


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## VelesHomais (Sep 1, 2004)

Excellent thread, I'll try to visit the city this summer.


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## Singflatly (Nov 21, 2010)

Tremendous thread. Thank you for all your efforts in taking such breathtaking photos, and for the great commentary and historical facts that you posted of along as well.


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## MB_museum (May 12, 2011)

Great pictures Taller Better! 

In fact you could post some on our facebook fan page, it will be an honour to have some posted there! Don't hesite to follow us on twitter @margbourg and on facebook www.facebook.com/margueritebourgeoys 

Keep posting great pictures of our city, you guys are doing a good job!

The Marguerite-Bourgeoys Museum team.


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## Taller Better (Aug 27, 2005)

Thanks for that comment! I am not a Facebook member, but please feel free to use any or all of those Museum or Church photos in any way that would be useful to you! It would be an honour to have been of some use or help to such a beautiful and worthy institution! :cheers:


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## christos-greece (Feb 19, 2008)

^^ What about for some updates from Montreal?


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## Taller Better (Aug 27, 2005)

Maybe I will visit this summer! :yes:


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## christos-greece (Feb 19, 2008)

^^ OK then


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## El_Greco (Apr 1, 2005)

Good stuff, Im liking the old stuff of which there seems to be quite a lot left, but deary me it does get pretty cold there doesnt it?


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## Taller Better (Aug 27, 2005)

Indeed it does! You must dress very warmly when visiting Montreal, and in fact most Canadian cities in winter. Winter R Us!!!


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## robhood (Aug 6, 2009)

NICE CITY


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## paul62 (Jan 27, 2012)

Very interesting.


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## Taller Better (Aug 27, 2005)

New photos from this past weekend; sorry the photo quality is not great but I just took my little point and shoot camera with me:

A great little Neo-Gothic style apartment building that I had never noticed before:



















Three gorgeous old apartment buildings opposite the Ritz Carleton. Very
Manhattan-esque:

The Linton:





































Le Château Apartments:














































and finally, The Acadia:


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## Taller Better (Aug 27, 2005)

The Ritz Carleton itself, often known as _“Grand Dame of Sherbrooke Street” _, and long considered to be the grandest hotel in Montreal. This hotel was the first in the world to use (with permission) the coveted "Ritz Carleton" name (a hybrid of the Ritz in Paris, and the Carleton in London), but it is not part of the Ritz Carleton hoteliers that we are familiar with today. It has undergone extensive renovations over the past four years to build in condominium units, and yet thankfully has managed to maintain much of the beauty of the lobby. I fondly remember my first visit to this grand hotel back in the late 1970's. Unfortunately, no photos are allowed in the interior, but exterior on rue Sherbrooke Ouest has been retained:























































Famous Chef Daniel Boulud has two restaurants in Canada now; one in Toronto and the second here at the Ritz Carleton:










rue Sherbrooke Ouest (Sherbrooke Street West), and the "Golden Square Mile" district were, up till the 1930's, considered by far the most prestigious district in Montreal, and despite having lost much of that prestige over the years it is still one of my two favourite streets in the city, if not the country. Here are some snapshots of the street:





































Prestigious Canadian clothing retailer Holt Renfrew:




























In fairness, as much as I love rue Sherbrooke Ouest, it is not all still prestigious; there is a fair amount of this happening still, too:




























But the good is so very, very good that I don't notice the bad so much!


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## Taller Better (Aug 27, 2005)

I've never really posted pictures of McGill University before, and as it is one of my two favourite campuses in Canada (the other being the University of Toronto), I decided to swing through it to show you some of its lovely old architecture:



















The university's founder, James McGill:





































the historical architecture is very English and Scottish in inspiration:



















a variation of The Three Graces:





































and finally some snaps from Ste Catherine Street:




























Ogilvy's has their Christmas windows out:



















I hope you have enjoyed my little tour, despite the lacklustre quality of the 
photos!


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## Taller Better (Aug 27, 2005)

I finally managed to wander past the über-magnificent 1880 George Stephen House. This Renaissance Revival style house is, without question, one of my very favourite ever built in Canada. Talk about opulence!  It was saved from the wrecker's ball in the 1920's when it was sold as a men's club. It operates to this day as such.





























The second one that really caught my eye was the 1914 Art Nouveau inspired Joseph-Arthur Godin building. It's claim to fame is that it was the first poured-concrete
building in North America! It is quite fun looking, even if the result is not entirely cohesive looking, and it remains an extremely brave attempt to go against the accepted building styles of the day. :applause:


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## paul62 (Jan 27, 2012)

Good stuff.


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## isaidso (Mar 21, 2007)

I've always loved those old grand apartment blocks in Montreal. That era produced some magnificent architecture that's as good today as when it was built.


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## Arseniq33 (Apr 16, 2011)

The Golden Square Mile is our little New York. Such an amazing place.


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## isaidso (Mar 21, 2007)

Too bad Montreal wasn't a city of 4 million back in 1910. The quantity and scale of this type of architecture would be 15 fold to what got built.


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## Taller Better (Aug 27, 2005)

Arseniq33 said:


> The Golden Square Mile is our little New York. Such an amazing place.


I'd agree... that bit of downtown does remind me somewhat of Manhattan, or of the Miracle Mile in Chicago. There was a great deal of money in Montreal in Edwardian times, and the buildings were intended to showcase that power and wealth. Sherbrooke must have been one beautiful street in its heyday because it is still a very handsome street today.


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## xzmattzx (Dec 24, 2004)

Great pictures! I'd love to go see Montreal some time.


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## Taller Better (Aug 27, 2005)

^^ You would *LOVE* the Cathedrals! I can see you spending a whole week there. :yes:

Wow... I just went back to page one of this thread and worked my way through. I had forgotten so much of what I put in here. 
This thread really was a labour of love for me. 



The looks on the faces of these old gargoyles just crack me up!! They look like they have been arguing and teasing each other mercilessly 
for the past 100 years!


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## MilbertDavid (Nov 23, 2012)

I love those old school architecture - a one factor that makes a city great and lovely.


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## christos-greece (Feb 19, 2008)

Great, very nice updates from Montreal


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## Taller Better (Aug 27, 2005)

Took a plethora of pics in Montreal this past weekend. I've just randomly uploaded some from thumbnails as a quick indication of what I did. I've not weeded through them yet, so hope I haven't chosen ones of awful quality. 



















St James the Apostle Church which I just missed getting into:




























Likewise I missed getting into St George's Anglican, too:



















the beautiful and awe-inspiring Cathedral seat of the Bishop of Montreal, Basilique-Cathédrale Marie Reine du Monde. I've been inside this beautiful Catholic Cathedral before and posted some pics in my photothread in the past:


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## Taller Better (Aug 27, 2005)

One of my biggest victories on this visit was finally getting inside Christ Church Cathedral, which is the Anglican Cathedral of Montreal. As Montreal was predominantly Catholic, Christ Church is not as big as many of the other churches in town, but still very pretty, and very Church of England looking:


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## Taller Better (Aug 27, 2005)

My other huge thrill of the weekend was also getting inside St Patrick's Basilica, which was traditionally the church of the Anglo Catholic community in 
Montreal. It was always on my To-Do list, especially after recently being in St Patrick's in New York, and this one did not let me down:



























































































Another thrill! It has been years since I was able to get inside Notre
Dame at a time when I was allowed to take photos, so I took full
advantage of that. It is perhaps the most eye-catching interior of any
church in Canada:























































more Old Montreal. Weddings were going on, of course, and there is a limo
rental company in Montreal with absolutely the MOST gorgeous old cars:



















a PACKARD EIGHT! Never did I think I would see one of these babies in 
real life


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## Taller Better (Aug 27, 2005)

My other big disappointment was due to my dawdling.... I just missed
the chance to get into St James the Apostle, another Anglican Church that
is exceedingly pretty:



So, for all who have not been to this beautiful city, make it your goal 
to go there this summer! :yes:


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## christos-greece (Feb 19, 2008)

^^ Great, very nice photos from Montreal :cheers:


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## xelos (Apr 11, 2005)

I love this city!!!


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## openlyJane (Feb 3, 2010)

Montreal looks to be a very fine city, indeed. And Notre Dame is gorgeous.


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## Nouvellecosse (Jun 4, 2005)

Quite an amazing selection of churches there! I think many people in Canada are somewhat familiar with the more famous ones like Notre Dame and the St. Joseph's oratory, but there are also some pretty interesting ones that I've never heard much about.

I'm curious about the ceiling in the Christ Church Cathedral. could you tell if it was painted or paper or if it was some type of textile? I don't think I've ever seen a ceiling like that in Canada and it has a very old-world feel to it.


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## Taller Better (Aug 27, 2005)

Nouvellecosse said:


> Quite an amazing selection of churches there! I think many people in Canada are somewhat familiar with the more famous ones like Notre Dame and the St. Joseph's oratory, but there are also some pretty interesting ones that I've never heard much about.
> 
> I'm curious about the ceiling in the Christ Church Cathedral. could you tell if it was painted or paper or if it was some type of textile? I don't think I've ever seen a ceiling like that in Canada and it has a very old-world feel to it.


That type of painted ceiling is pretty common in Anglican Churches. I assume they are either painted or printed fabric or paper panels installed, and not actually painted directly on the ceiling (which would be infinitely more expensive to do). In some of the churches it looks like fabric to me, but I am not completely certain.


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## Nouvellecosse (Jun 4, 2005)

Interesting stuff indeed!


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## skymantle (Jul 17, 2010)

Beautiful shots. Well done. 

I wonder, have you ever ventured into and taken a few snaps of the Westmount area? I remember cycling with friends around there and much of the architecture caught my eye; solid and stately, detailed and beautiful with well-tendered gardens, parks and leafy streets. Very eclectic architecturally too, old and fanciful, modernist and minimalist but all oozing class. I felt like I was being transported to another era, be it late 1900s, 1960 and everything in between. Westmount is on a par with Georgetown in DC for character-filled charm imho. Some may say too posh and sterile but I loved it...aesthetically at least. 

Anyway, please show more. :cheers:


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## Benonie (Dec 21, 2005)

Wonderful thread of probably Canada's most stunning city. We spent 7 great days over there and loved every single day of it. The perfect mixture of old and modern architecture, the splendid museums, lovely river banks, excellent food and friendly people made it a highlight of our trip.
Thanks for sharing your pictures TB! :cheers:


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## Taller Better (Aug 27, 2005)

Thanks, all! Was a pleasure and I will try to post more. Yes, once I rented a bike and rode through Westmount. I think I posted some pics of that tour back in this thread somewhere... Westmount has some truly beautiful old houses! :yes:


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