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Originally Posted On: https://montrealtips.com/2021/10/09/top-5-montreal-landmarks-you-need-to-visit/

The Top 5 Landmarks & Attractions in Montreal

Montreal is Canada’s cultural capital, the largest French-speaking city, financial metropolis, and commercial center. The city is famous for its openness to the world, multicultural life, thriving atmosphere, and economic dynamism. It is a warm and welcoming city where everyone enjoys an outstanding quality of life.

Montreal is a city of landmarks and attractions that draw millions of tourists from all around the world every year. If you want to explore the history of Montreal, connect to the past, and create memories, visit these five landmarks. Read on!

1.    The Montreal Museum of Fine Arts

The Montreal Museum of Fine Arts is a member of the Bizot Group, an International Company that organizes exhibitions worldwide. It is Canada’s oldest Museum, founded in 1860 and famous for historically and encyclopedically-rich heritage collections. There are over 45,000 collections of artworks in the museum.

Not only does the museum features traditional paintings, sculptures, and statuaries, but it also has modern Canadian exhibits of decorative arts, giving you a sense of imagination and making the experience worthwhile. The Museum is open through Sunday from 10 AM to 5 PM. We recommend visiting on Wednesday because it is open until 9 PM. That way, you can get the most out of your tour.

2.    Notre-Dame Basilica of Montreal

Notre-Dame Basilica is one of the oldest landmarks in Montreal. It is a Roman Catholic Church built in 1829, and more than eleven million people visit this architectural gem every year. It boasts Gothic architecture and showcases classic stone and glass beauty.

The Church is a monumental example of Gothic Revival style architecture featuring two soaring towers. Notre-Dame Basilica has a polychrome wooden decoration that stimulates emotion, admiration, and awe-inspiring feelings in your mind.

Not only does the Church evoke the Catholic doctrine, but it also illustrates the rich history and culture of Montreal through its symbolic representation.

3.    Biodome, Montreal

Biodome, Montreal, is an educational landmark, creating a perfect environment for Quebec’s flora and fauna, including plants, animals, and insects. Visiting the Biodome allows tourists and visitors to learn about different ecosystems and explore hundreds of plant species.

Besides, Biodome, Montreal is an integral part of the Canadian Natural Science Museum Complex. It has Montreal Botanical Garden, Montreal Insectarium, and Rio Tinto Alcan Planetarium.

Not only does walking around the Biodome soothe your mind due to its natural ecosystem, but it also lets you explore different animal and plant species and learn about their behavior.

4.    Habitat 67

Habitat 67 is an urban housing complex built in 1967 for Expo 67. Moshe Safdie, the world-renowned Israeli-Canadian architect, made this avant-garde design. It has become one of the revolutionary, unique, and attractive landmarks in Montreal, with thousands of tourists visiting this place or take guided tours to explore the housing complex.

The design of Habitat 67 is a twelve-12 structure composed of prefabricated and load-bearing concrete boxes in numerous configurations. The 90-minute walking tours are popular with art-loving people, designers, architects, and students. If you want to learn how Moshe Safdie integrated the suburban garden home and high-rise building typologies, we recommend taking the 90-minute guide tour.

5.    Mount Royal Park

Mount Royal Park showcases Montreal’s history, heritage, and geography. Frederic Law Olmsted laid out this crown jewel’s twisted roads and paths, making the park a unique place to explore for visitors and tourists.

It is one of the perfect landmarks to visit during the summer and winter seasons. For instance, you can relish the colourful foliage and cross-country skiing during the winter. Mount Royal Park has two belvederes, allowing you to enjoy the picturesque scenery of St. Lawrence River and Montreal’s skyline.

Featuring forests with over 60 tree species and 250 plant species. Mount Royal Park is also home to 200 bird species and 20 mammal species, making it a perfect place for nature-loving people.

There are various things to see and do in Mount Royal Park, including hiking, cycling, ice skating, sliding or rowing across Beaver Lake, and snowshoeing. We recommend visiting Mount Royal Park to create a memorable experience by exploring Montreal’s natural and cultural heritage.