La Cathédrale Christ Church
⎯⎯⎯
Christ Church Cathedral

Click or scan to see
this page online

Touch for directions.

Canada.

America,

Hemisphere,

World.

colony,

France,

Confederacy,

Land.

Photographed by Cosmos Mariner, May 19, 2024

2. La Cathédrale Christ Church / Christ Church Cathedral Marker

The marker is mounted on the left/south gate post, directly in front of the cathedral.

• its prominent location, facing Ste. Catherine Street, in the commercial centre of Montréal;
• the cruciform, geometric massing set under a steep gabled roof, and tower with spire over the crossing;
• the exterior facing of stone and

Photographed by Cosmos Mariner, May 19, 2024

3. La Cathédrale Christ Church / Christ Church Cathedral (southeast elevation)

carved stone elaboration;
• the relatively large scale of the building (61.87m by 33.22m and 69.80m in height);
• the hierarchical interior plan with high nave, lower side-aisles, short transept arms (now chapels), and raised chancel;
• the stained glass, pointed arch windows and large east window;
• interior materials and finishes consistent with the Gothic Revival style, including open timber ceiling, limestone supports including piers and crossing arches, and brick and plaster upper walls.

Excerpt:  The present cathedral, a neo-Gothic structure, was designed by architect Frank Wills (1822–1856). Before construction began, Willis died, and Montreal architect Thomas Seaton Scott (1826–1895) was commissioned to carry out his design. The structure was completed in 1859 and consecrated in 1867. Modeled after the 14th century Gothic-style churches of the English countryside, the cathedral features a square crossing tower.
The design, though acclaimed for its architecture, suffered from important engineering flaws. The soft ground could not support the heavy central stone

Photographed by Cosmos Mariner, May 19, 2024

4. La Cathédrale Christ Church / Christ Church Cathedral (south elevation)

tower and steeple, which began to subside and lean. By 1920, the tower leaned 1.2 m to the south. George Allan Ross designed alterations in 1923 and reconstructed the tower from 1939 to 1940. In 1927, the stone steeple, weighing 1,600,000 kg was removed. New foundations were poured in 1939, and in 1940, an anonymous donation permitted the construction of a much lighter steeple made of aluminum, molded to simulate the former stone spire. It is 38 m high, attaining a height of 70 m from the ground.

Excerpt:  Nestled between modern buildings, Christ Church Cathedral figures prominently in the downtown core overtop an underground shopping centre. Designated a National Historic Site of Canada and a Historical Monument by the Government of Québec, Christ Church Cathedral is a rare example of Anglican Gothic Revival architecture designed by British architect Frank Wills. Built between 1857 and 1859, it was one of the first of its kind in Canada. Inside and out, the Cathedral features magnificent

Photographed by Cosmos Mariner, May 19, 2024

5. La Cathédrale Christ Church / Christ Church Cathedral (northwest elevation)

details reminiscent of the medieval style of church architecture in England.

Excerpt:  Christ Church Cathedral National Historic Site of Canada is a picturesque Gothic Revival building prominently located in the busy commercial district of Montréal, Quebec. With its cruciform plan, the building is composed of simple geometric volumes set beneath a steep gable roof with central tower and tall elegant spire.

The relatively elaborate design and decoration of the cathedral is, in part, a reflection of its congregation, who, in the past, were often high profile members of the Montréal’s anglophone business establishment. They included investor George Moffat, David Kinnear senior partner and editor of the (Montreal) Herald, and Thomas Brown Anderson, who became president of the Bank of Montréal.

Photographed by Cosmos Mariner, May 19, 2024

6. La Cathédrale Christ Church / Christ Church Cathedral (east/front elevation)