Built Heritage in Montreal: Old Montreal Neighbourhood

One of the things I learned during my trip to Montreal is that a lot of businesses and heritage sites are closed on Mondays.  Since none of the museums I was interested in seeing were open on Monday, I spent part of the day exploring the built heritage of the Old Montreal neighbourhood.

The narrow streets, cobblestone, and intricate building facades in Old Montreal and Old Port were fascinating.  The neighbourhood has a bit of a touristy feel, but there are a number of green spaces, walking paths and plenty to of gorgeous old buildings to gawk at.

The oldest buildings in this neighbourhood date back to the 1600s and the neighbourhood grew out of the early Catholic settlers from France. The architecture, street style, and open communal spaces contribute to a European feel.  Place Jacques-Cartier is a square built in the early 19th century that has the feel of an open air market and public square.  The square was somewhat quiet during my visit. But the pedestrian friendly nature of the square and the Old Port boardwalk was great and made for an enjoyable morning of wondering. Photographs of built heritage in Old Montreal, photo credit goes to Andrew MacKay.