Place du Canada
Encyclopedia
Place du Canada is a large urban square in downtown Montreal
.
, with a more varied topography due to a downward slope towards De la Gauchetière Street
. Place du Canada also differs from Dorchester Square in having manicured, though densely packed, pockets of flora arranged to impede direct lines of sight and diffuse pedestrian traffic. The French term place can roughly be translated as denoting a plaza
, which has a different legal definition from squares or parks in Montreal. It is open twenty-four hours per day and is bordered by René Lévesque Boulevard
to the North, Peel to the East, De la Cathédrale to the West and De la Gauchetière Street
to the South.
Place du Canada was developed along with the present Dorchester Square
between 1872 and 1876 and was formally inaugurated that year as Dominion Square. It quickly developed into a prestige address and major transportation hub, with streetcars, cabs, carriages (and by 1889) the Canadian Pacific Railway
's Windsor Station
at the southwest corner of the plaza. What had once been an informal meeting place and common green would be formalized as a pedestrian traffic corridor, linking the estates and middle class suburbs to the west and northwest with the commercial sector moving up the hill from the southeast. As an urban square, it satisfied two goals; first to provide a method of diffusing transit nodes, and second as an open manicured natural environment to provide rest, recreation and a healthy respite from the cramped industrial and business core immediately south of the area.
After the cholera
outbreak of 1851, the area had been the site for several hastily convened cemeteries of various denominations. Beginning in 1854, the City of Montreal began exhuming the bodies to be relocated to Notre-Dame-des-Neiges Cemetery on the northeast slope of Mount Royal
. In 1869, St. George's Presbyterian Cathedral took up the place of a former Jewish cemetery along the western side of the plaza. Soon, many other Protestant denominations would build churches in the same area—beginning the trend that would establish the site as a prestige address.
In the 1870s, Mary, Queen of the World Cathedral
took up its form as a one-fifth replica of St. Peter's Cathedral
along De la Cathédrale forming the eastern side of the plaza. By 1889, Windsor Station
would take up its prominent position at the corner of Peel and De la Gauchetière, with the plaza providing a path directly to the corner opposite. In 1895, the Macdonald Monument
would be constructed under a stone baldachin
in the centre of the northern third of the plaza. His baldachin is replete with copper bas reliefs of the various industrial and agricultural trades practised in the Dominion he first commanded. While the plaza is arranged along the skewed cardinality characteristic of Montreal, John A. Macdonald
looks more west-northwest than north. The monument is purposeful; under a canopy created by the union of industry and agriculture, Canada's chief securely observes the vast expanse that awaits the command coming from Montreal.
Place du Canada was the site of the Unity Rally
, a massive political rally held on October 27, 1995, in downtown Montreal
, where an estimated 100,000 Canadians from in and outside Quebec came to celebrate a united Canada, and plead with Quebecers to vote "No" in the Quebec independence referendum, 1995 (three days before the vote).
It was Canada's biggest political rally.
Downtown Montreal
Downtown Montreal is the central business district of Montreal, Quebec, Canada. It is nearly enitirely located at the southern most slope of Mount Royal and is approximately bounded by Sherbrooke Street to the north, Papineau Avenue to the east, Guy Street or until Shaughnessy Village to the west,...
.
Overview
At 14000 square metres (150,694.7 sq ft) it is slightly larger than the adjacent Dorchester SquareDorchester Square
Dorchester Square is a large urban square in downtown Montreal. Together with Place du Canada, the area is just over 21,000 m2 or 2.1 ha of manicured and protected urban parkland bordered by René Lévesque Boulevard to the south, Peel Street to the west, Metcalfe to the east and Dominion Square to...
, with a more varied topography due to a downward slope towards De la Gauchetière Street
De la Gauchetière Street
De la Gauchetière Street is a street in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, running through downtown Montreal, the Quartier international and Chinatown....
. Place du Canada also differs from Dorchester Square in having manicured, though densely packed, pockets of flora arranged to impede direct lines of sight and diffuse pedestrian traffic. The French term place can roughly be translated as denoting a plaza
Plaza
Plaza is a Spanish word related to "field" which describes an open urban public space, such as a city square. All through Spanish America, the plaza mayor of each center of administration held three closely related institutions: the cathedral, the cabildo or administrative center, which might be...
, which has a different legal definition from squares or parks in Montreal. It is open twenty-four hours per day and is bordered by René Lévesque Boulevard
René Lévesque Boulevard
René Lévesque Boulevard is one of the main streets in Montreal, Quebec, Canada.It is a main east-west thoroughfare passing through the downtown core in the borough of Ville-Marie. The street begins on the west at Atwater Avenue and continues until it merges with Notre Dame Street East just east...
to the North, Peel to the East, De la Cathédrale to the West and De la Gauchetière Street
De la Gauchetière Street
De la Gauchetière Street is a street in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, running through downtown Montreal, the Quartier international and Chinatown....
to the South.
History
Dorchester Square
Dorchester Square is a large urban square in downtown Montreal. Together with Place du Canada, the area is just over 21,000 m2 or 2.1 ha of manicured and protected urban parkland bordered by René Lévesque Boulevard to the south, Peel Street to the west, Metcalfe to the east and Dominion Square to...
between 1872 and 1876 and was formally inaugurated that year as Dominion Square. It quickly developed into a prestige address and major transportation hub, with streetcars, cabs, carriages (and by 1889) the Canadian Pacific Railway
Canadian Pacific Railway
The Canadian Pacific Railway , formerly also known as CP Rail between 1968 and 1996, is a historic Canadian Class I railway founded in 1881 and now operated by Canadian Pacific Railway Limited, which began operations as legal owner in a corporate restructuring in 2001...
's Windsor Station
Windsor Station
-Australia:* Windsor railway station, Brisbane* Windsor railway station, Sydney* Windsor railway station, Melbourne- United Kingdom :* Windsor & Eton Riverside railway station* Windsor & Eton Central railway station- United States :...
at the southwest corner of the plaza. What had once been an informal meeting place and common green would be formalized as a pedestrian traffic corridor, linking the estates and middle class suburbs to the west and northwest with the commercial sector moving up the hill from the southeast. As an urban square, it satisfied two goals; first to provide a method of diffusing transit nodes, and second as an open manicured natural environment to provide rest, recreation and a healthy respite from the cramped industrial and business core immediately south of the area.
After the cholera
Cholera
Cholera is an infection of the small intestine that is caused by the bacterium Vibrio cholerae. The main symptoms are profuse watery diarrhea and vomiting. Transmission occurs primarily by drinking or eating water or food that has been contaminated by the diarrhea of an infected person or the feces...
outbreak of 1851, the area had been the site for several hastily convened cemeteries of various denominations. Beginning in 1854, the City of Montreal began exhuming the bodies to be relocated to Notre-Dame-des-Neiges Cemetery on the northeast slope of Mount Royal
Mount Royal
Mount Royal is a mountain in the city of Montreal, immediately west of downtown Montreal, Quebec, Canada, the city to which it gave its name.The mountain is part of the Monteregian Hills situated between the Laurentians and the Appalachians...
. In 1869, St. George's Presbyterian Cathedral took up the place of a former Jewish cemetery along the western side of the plaza. Soon, many other Protestant denominations would build churches in the same area—beginning the trend that would establish the site as a prestige address.
In the 1870s, Mary, Queen of the World Cathedral
Mary, Queen of the World Cathedral
The Cathedral-Basilica of Mary, Queen of the World in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, is the seat of the Roman Catholic archdiocese of Montreal. It is the third largest church in Quebec after St. Joseph's Oratory and the Basilica of Sainte-Anne-de-Beaupré east of Quebec City...
took up its form as a one-fifth replica of St. Peter's Cathedral
St. Peter's Basilica
The Papal Basilica of Saint Peter , officially known in Italian as ' and commonly known as Saint Peter's Basilica, is a Late Renaissance church located within the Vatican City. Saint Peter's Basilica has the largest interior of any Christian church in the world...
along De la Cathédrale forming the eastern side of the plaza. By 1889, Windsor Station
Windsor Station
-Australia:* Windsor railway station, Brisbane* Windsor railway station, Sydney* Windsor railway station, Melbourne- United Kingdom :* Windsor & Eton Riverside railway station* Windsor & Eton Central railway station- United States :...
would take up its prominent position at the corner of Peel and De la Gauchetière, with the plaza providing a path directly to the corner opposite. In 1895, the Macdonald Monument
Macdonald Monument
The Macdonald Monument is a monument of sculptor George E. Wade located at Place du Canada in Montreal.- History :This monument in memory of John A. Macdonald was unveiled by Earl of Aberdeen, Governor General of Canada on June 6, 1895....
would be constructed under a stone baldachin
Baldachin
A baldachin, or baldaquin , is a canopy of state over an altar or throne. It had its beginnings as a cloth canopy, but in other cases it is a sturdy, permanent architectural feature, particularly over high altars in cathedrals, where such a structure is more correctly called a ciborium when it is...
in the centre of the northern third of the plaza. His baldachin is replete with copper bas reliefs of the various industrial and agricultural trades practised in the Dominion he first commanded. While the plaza is arranged along the skewed cardinality characteristic of Montreal, John A. Macdonald
John A. Macdonald
Sir John Alexander Macdonald, GCB, KCMG, PC, PC , QC was the first Prime Minister of Canada. The dominant figure of Canadian Confederation, his political career spanned almost half a century...
looks more west-northwest than north. The monument is purposeful; under a canopy created by the union of industry and agriculture, Canada's chief securely observes the vast expanse that awaits the command coming from Montreal.
Place du Canada was the site of the Unity Rally
Unity Rally
The Unity Rally was a massive rally was held on October 27 1995, in downtown Montreal, where an estimated 100,000 Canadians from in and outside Quebec came to celebrate a united Canada, and plead with Quebecers to vote "No" in the Quebec independence referendum, 1995 .Held at the Place du Canada,...
, a massive political rally held on October 27, 1995, in downtown 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...
, where an estimated 100,000 Canadians from in and outside Quebec came to celebrate a united Canada, and plead with Quebecers to vote "No" in the Quebec independence referendum, 1995 (three days before the vote).
It was Canada's biggest political rally.