MONTREAL, QUEBEC - MUSEUM AND BUS TOUR

Tuesday, June 23rd, 2015

Day 323

Miles Traveled: 0

Total Miles Traveled: 4745

  Tuesday we spent exploring Montreal, Canada's second largest city.  It is the second largest French speaking city in the world, after Paris.  English is taught as a second language in all the schools, so most everyone also speaks some English.  So far, all the French Quebec people we have met have been very hospitable.

  After the morning rains cleared, we began by visiting the Chateau Ramezay Museum of Montreal.  Chateau Ramezay was built in 1705 by Governor Claude de Ramezay.  The manor was transformed into a museum in 1895 to present the history of Montreal to its visitors.

Chateau Ramezay - Museum of Montreal

One thing we learned was Montreal was not the first name of the city.  The Iroquois Indians called the area Hochelaga meaning "beaver dam" or "beaver lake".  In 1642, the French settlers took over the area and named it Ville-Marie.  Later, in 1705, the name was officially changed to Montreal.  Initially, the basis for survival and development of Ville-Marie was trading in beaver fur.  Later, it expanded to other forms of trade, and, the shipping industry both by water and rail expanded significantly making Montreal one of the busiest ports in New France.

  One room that was particularly beautiful was called Salle (Room) de Nantes.  The mahogany paneling on its walls were hand carved in France in 1725.  Initially in a private mansion in the city of Nantes, they were transported to Montreal for display at the 1967 World's Fair.  The museum later acquired them and placed them in the room.

Salle de Nantes - detailed hand-carved mahogany paneling

  In addition to the history of the city, a section of the museum dealt with life in 18th century Montreal.  Like today, the kitchen was the focal point of the home.  The hearth (fireplace) provided heat for the home and for cooking.  Often the beds were placed nearby, so the family members could be warmer during the night.  It was were meals were prepared, family gatherings occurred, and rest was obtained.

18th Century Montreal kitchen

 Notice the wheel in the right upper corner of the wall.  This was a cage for a dog powered turnspit.  A small dog was placed in the cage, and, while the animal ran, the wheel turned which turned the roasting spit over the fireplace.  Thus, helping to cook whatever was on the spit.  Not sure the animal rights activists would approve of this apparatus today.

dog powered turnspit cage in right side ceiling

To see more about the museum go to:http://www.chateauramezay.qc.ca/en/

 

  After completing our visit to the museum, we grabbed a quick lunch and then boarded our London style double decker bus for a narrated tour of Montreal.  This was a great way to see parts of the city that would be difficult to get to on foot.  Most of what was seen was great architectural buildings, some with historic significance.  Below are a few of the highlights.

  Angie found the glass blown tree sculpture at the Museum of Fine Arts to be quite interesting.

Montreal Museum of Fine Art with glass blown tree sculpture in front

   Most of the residential buildings in Montreal have balconies.  One nickname for Montreal is "The City of Balconies".  These balconies are particularly interesting because they are wood and very decorative against a stone facade.

beautiful decorative wood balconies

  Many of the historic buildings and sites are religion based, particularly the Catholic faith.  Part of the founding of New France was to bring Catholicism to the local native Indians.

  Saint Joseph's Oratory is a Roman Catholic minor basilica and National Shrine.  The building started in 1924 and was completed in 1964.  The basilica, located on Mount Royal, is dedicated to Saint Joseph who is the patron saint of Montreal.

Saint Joseph's Oratory

  Also on Mount Royal is the Mount Royal Cross.  The first cross was erected in 1643 by Paul Chomedey de Maisonneuve, the cities founder, to fulfill a vow to end a disastrous flood.  Later replaced with one made of steel, it stands 103 feet tall.  Every evening, the cross is illuminated.  Apparently, there is a law in Montreal that no building can be taller than the cross.

Mount Royal Cross

  Montreal has many parks scattered throughout the city.  The largest is actually a cemetery.  The Catholic cemetery, called Notre-Dame-des-Neiges, is 343 acres.  When created, officials did not want it to just be a place of morning.  In addition, they wanted it to be a place to be enjoyed.  The area was landscaped to also be a nice park.  The Protestant  and Jewish cemeteries are the same.  Thus, all three cemeteries put together make up a park larger than Central Park in New York City.

gates to Notre-Dame-des-Neiges cemetery

  For dinner we went to Montreal Poutine and ordered (you guessed it) poutine.  This time with smoked beef added.  By the time we leave Quebec we may be poutine experts.