Fort de la Montagne
Encyclopedia
The Fort de la Montagne was an old fortification, the remaining structures of which are located on Sherbrooke Street
in Montreal
, Quebec
, Canada
. The fort was constructed in 1685 and parts of it were demolished in the mid 19th century. Two 13 metres (42.7 ft) high stone towers, built in 1694 as bastions of the fort, still remain and are among the oldest structures on the Island of Montreal
.
The towers were designated a National Historic Site of Canada in 1970.
The mission to Christianize the native people was established in 1675 at the foot of Mont-Royal mountain. François Vachon de Belmont
was sent to New France
towards 1680 by his superiors, order of Saint-Sulpice
priests in Paris
to stop the spread of witchcraft and visions at the mission. In 1683, 210 natives, (Iroquois
, Hurons et Algonquins) lived on the site.. In order to protect the mission from the Iroquois, a fort was constructed in 1685.
In 1696, a fire occurred in the fort and the inhabitants were transferred to the native mission of Sault-au-Récollet in Ahuntsic-Cartierville
, where Fort Lorette was built. The mission at de la Montagne was definitely closed in 1705: the grounds were rented to the local peasants, and some would live in the fortifications. In 1825, a floor is added to the main residence of château des Messieurs and a chapel is built in one of the towers.
The fort contained four bastions and a series of remparts and palissades, which were all destroyed in 1854 except for the two southern towers, during the building of the College of Montreal.
Three bassins were constructed in the domaine of the sulpicians: the first when the bassions were built in 1675.
In 1984 to 1986, restoration work was undertaken on the two remaining towers. The towers were classified as provincial historical monuments in 1974. In 1982, the towers were included in the Domaine des Messieurs-de-Saint-Sulpice historic site.
Sherbrooke Street
Sherbrooke Street is a major east-west artery and at in length, is the second longest street on the Island of Montreal. The street begins in the town of Montreal West and ends on the extreme tip of the island in Pointe-aux-Trembles, intersecting Gouin Boulevard and joining up with Notre-Dame...
in Montreal
Montreal
Montreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
, Quebec
Quebec
Quebec or is a province in east-central Canada. It is the only Canadian province with a predominantly French-speaking population and the only one whose sole official language is French at the provincial level....
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. The fort was constructed in 1685 and parts of it were demolished in the mid 19th century. Two 13 metres (42.7 ft) high stone towers, built in 1694 as bastions of the fort, still remain and are among the oldest structures on the Island of Montreal
Island of Montreal
The Island of Montreal , in extreme southwestern Quebec, Canada, is located at the confluence of the Saint Lawrence and Ottawa Rivers. It is separated from Île Jésus by the Rivière des Prairies....
.
The towers were designated a National Historic Site of Canada in 1970.
History
François Vachon de Belmont
François Vachon de Belmont was the fifth superior of the Montreal Sulpicians from 1700 to 1731. Vachon de Belmont was born in Burgundy, France to a wealthy family...
was sent to New France
New France
New France was the area colonized by France in North America during a period beginning with the exploration of the Saint Lawrence River by Jacques Cartier in 1534 and ending with the cession of New France to Spain and Great Britain in 1763...
towards 1680 by his superiors, order of Saint-Sulpice
Society of Saint-Sulpice
The Society of Saint-Sulpice is a Catholic Society of Apostolic Life named for Eglise Saint-Sulpice, Paris, in turn named for St. Sulpitius the Pious. Typically, priests become members of the Society of St. Sulpice only after ordination and some years of pastoral work. Uniquely, Sulpicians retain...
priests in Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
to stop the spread of witchcraft and visions at the mission. In 1683, 210 natives, (Iroquois
Iroquois
The Iroquois , also known as the Haudenosaunee or the "People of the Longhouse", are an association of several tribes of indigenous people of North America...
, Hurons et Algonquins) lived on the site.. In order to protect the mission from the Iroquois, a fort was constructed in 1685.
In 1696, a fire occurred in the fort and the inhabitants were transferred to the native mission of Sault-au-Récollet in Ahuntsic-Cartierville
Ahuntsic-Cartierville
Ahuntsic-Cartierville is a borough of the city of Montreal, Quebec, Canada.-Geography:The borough is located in the northern part of Montreal along the banks of the Rivière des Prairies, and includes some islands in the river such as Île aux Chats, Île Perry, and Île de la Visitation...
, where Fort Lorette was built. The mission at de la Montagne was definitely closed in 1705: the grounds were rented to the local peasants, and some would live in the fortifications. In 1825, a floor is added to the main residence of château des Messieurs and a chapel is built in one of the towers.
The fort contained four bastions and a series of remparts and palissades, which were all destroyed in 1854 except for the two southern towers, during the building of the College of Montreal.
Three bassins were constructed in the domaine of the sulpicians: the first when the bassions were built in 1675.
In 1984 to 1986, restoration work was undertaken on the two remaining towers. The towers were classified as provincial historical monuments in 1974. In 1982, the towers were included in the Domaine des Messieurs-de-Saint-Sulpice historic site.
Affiliations
- College of Montreal (ca 1854-1857)
- List of French forts in North America