History

In 1657, the Roman Catholic

Roman Catholic Church

The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church, with over a billion members. Led by the Pope, it defines its mission as spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, administering the sacraments and exercising charity...

 Sulpician Order arrived in Ville-Marie, now known as 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...

. The parish

Parish

A parish is a territorial unit historically under the pastoral care and clerical jurisdiction of one parish priest, who might be assisted in his pastoral duties by a curate or curates - also priests but not the parish priest - from a more or less central parish church with its associated organization...

 they founded was dedicated to Mary, and the parish church of Notre-Dame was built between 1672 and 1682. A cross is planted to designate the future emplacement of the church on June 29, 1672 and the next day are laid the first five stones.

The church served as the first cathedral of the Diocese of Montreal

Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Montreal

The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Montréal is a Roman Catholic archdiocese that includes part of the Province of Quebec. The Archbishop of Montréal is Metropolitan of a province that includes the suffragan dioceses of Joliette, Saint-Jean-Longueuil, Saint-Jérôme, and Valleyfield...

 from 1821 to 1822.

Throughout the 18th century the city's primary landmarks were the bell tower

Bell tower

A bell tower is a tower which contains one or more bells, or which is designed to hold bells, even if it has none. In the European tradition, such a tower most commonly serves as part of a church and contains church bells. When attached to a city hall or other civic building, especially in...

 of Notre-Dame and Citadel hill

The Citadel, Montreal

The Citadel of Montreal was a former fortress used to defend the city.Smaller than the one in Old Quebec, the Citadel was built by the French in 1690, with a cannon battery added in 1723....

.

By 1824 the congregation had completely outgrown the church, and James O'Donnell

James O'Donnell

James O'Donnell may refer to:*James O'Donnell , 19th century United States Representative from Michigan*James O'Donnell , American sports promoter and founder of the NFL's Cleveland Tigers...

, an Irish-American Protestant

Protestantism

Protestantism is one of the three major groupings within Christianity. It is a movement that began in Germany in the early 16th century as a reaction against medieval Roman Catholic doctrines and practices, especially in regards to salvation, justification, and ecclesiology.The doctrines of the...

 from New York

New York

New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...

, was commissioned to design the Notre-Dame Basilica

Notre-Dame Basilica (Montreal)

Notre-Dame Basilica is a basilica in the historic district of Old Montreal, in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. The church is located at 110 Notre-Dame Street West, at the corner of Saint Sulpice Street...

. The church was demolished in 1830 and the bell tower

Bell tower

A bell tower is a tower which contains one or more bells, or which is designed to hold bells, even if it has none. In the European tradition, such a tower most commonly serves as part of a church and contains church bells. When attached to a city hall or other civic building, especially in...

 in 1843. Foundations from the original Notre-Dame Church lie under the Place d'Armes

Place d'Armes

Place d'Armes is a square in Old Montreal quarter of Montreal, Quebec, Canada.-History:Place d'Armes is the second oldest public site in Montreal, it was called Place de la Fabrique when it was first developed in 1693, at the request of the Sulpicians, then later renamed Place d'Armes in 1721 when...

Square.