From August 3 to October 6, 2024, Héritage Montréal invited the public to discover remarkable public buildings that have shaped the development of Montreal since 1870. This theme explored the evolution of architectural approaches through the ages, such as the construction of markets, public baths and city halls.
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Accompanied by our volunteer guides, the public learned how architectural approaches to markets, public baths, libraries, and other civic buildings evolved over the years, and how some of these sites have been transformed to meet the changing needs of Montrealers.
Around the turn of the 20th century, the first public buildings appeared in many municipalities that were later absorbed into the City of Montreal. Later, the postwar sports facilities, Maisons de la culture (arts centres), and libraries built in more recent decades would often provide showcases for architectural renewal, in turn becoming signature landmarks of neighbourhoods and boroughs.
Tour No. 1: Little Italy: Jean-Talon Market and its environs
Located south of Rue Jean-Talon, Montreal’s Petite-Italie grew rapidly between 1900 and 1940 around the Church of the Madonna della Difesa and Jean Talon Market. Buildings in the neighbourhood recall the contributions of Montréal’s Italian community to its development, as well as the urban revitalization of recent decades.
Tour No. 2: From Sainte-Cunégonde to Little Burgundy
From the golden age of Sainte-Cunégonde village (1884–1905) to the years of postwar de-industrialization, the development of Little Burgundy testifies to a rich heritage linked to its industrial past as well as its long-standing Afro-descendent community. Its legacy includes unique examples of civic architecture, some of which have been repurposed.
Tour No. 3: Civic architecture on the march: From Ville Saint-Louis to Mile End
On this ArchitecTour, you’ll take a deep dive into the origins of Mile-End, from the district’s broad streets and boulevards to its village nucleus near Parc Lahaie and its municipal buildings, and learn how committed residents have helped shape and reinvent it over the decades.
Tour No. 4: Saint-Michel: A rural village transformed in the modern age
Setting out from Parc François-Perrault, the little-known heart of Ville Saint-Michel, you’ll explore this former village, once known for its vast quarries. Following an urban development boom that began in the 1950s, the borough of Saint-Michel is now home to superb examples of modern architecture as well as rehabilitated environmental and cultural spaces.
Tour No. 5: Saint-Jacques: The civic origins of a former faubourg
This former industrial faubourg is notable for its remarkable built heritage, which includes exceptional public buildings that still grace the area today, like the Généreux public bath and Saint-Jacques Market. This tour also takes in former factories and schools that have been repurposed as inclusive community and cultural sites.
INFORMATION
Contact us:
architectours@heritagemontreal.org / 514 286-2662, extension 21
This activity is presented with the support of Ivanhoé Cambridge, as well as through the Entente sur le développement culturel de Montréal between the Ville de Montréal and the Gouvernement du Québec, and the Government of Canada’s Young Canada Works Program. We thank these partners!
Photo credits: Church of the Madonna della Difesa (Shawn in Montreal / Wikimedias Commons), Jean-Talon Market (Société des marchés publics de Montréal), Atwater Market (Matias Garabedian / Flickr)