Old Montreal in Montréal, Québec — Central Canada (French-Canadian)
L'Ancien Hôpital General des Sœurs Grises
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The Grey Nuns' Hospital
Photographed by Cosmos Mariner, May 20, 2024
1. L'Ancien Hôpital General des Sœurs Grises/The Grey Nuns' Hospital Marker
Erected by Commission
this page online
Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Architecture • Charity & Public Work • Religion & Religious Structures • Science & Medicine. In addition, it is included in the Canada, Historic Sites and Monuments Board series list. A significant historical year for this entry is 1765.
Location. 45° 30.01′ N, 73° 33.295′ W. Marker is in Montréal, Québec. It is in Old Montreal. It is on Rue Normand just east of Place d'Youville, on the left when traveling east. The marker is mounted at eye-level near the center of the south side of the building. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 121 Rue Normand, Montréal QC H2Y 2L6, Canada. Touch for directions.
Regionally, this marker is in Central Canada. Globally, it is in North America, the Western Hemisphere, and the Western World. Historically, it finds itself in what was once a British colony, the Viceroyalty of New France, the Haudenosaunee (Iroquois) Confederacy, and Rupert’s Land.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers
Photographed by Cosmos Mariner, May 20, 2024
2. L'Ancien Hôpital General des Sœurs Grises/The Grey Nuns' Hospital Marker
The marker is mounted between the entrance and a window on the south side of the building.
Regarding L'Ancien Hôpital General des Sœurs Grises / The Grey Nuns' Hospital. The Grey Nuns’ Hospital in Youville Square was designated a national historic site of Canada in 1981 because the Sisters of Charity, founded by Mère d’Youville, tended the sick and dispossessed here
Photographed by Cosmos Mariner, May 20, 2024
3. L'Ancien Hôpital General des Sœurs Grises/The Grey Nuns' Hospital Marker
The marker is on the right side of this south entrance.
From the Canadian Register Statement of Significance:
The key elements that contribute to the heritage character of this site include: its location in Old Montreal, especially its prominent location on Place d’Youville; the composition of the exterior that reflects the functional architecture of 18th-century French Canada, as seen in the three-and-a-half storey volume under a prominent, gable ended roof; rough masonry construction with details in dressed stone; the evolutive nature of the building, in which an original core area has been added to over the years; the original placement, design and materials of doors and windows, including the tall, multi-paned casement windows and smaller third floor windows; the centrally located rear wing and the two later three-storey additions; the interior framing system consisting of a substantial post and beam system; the surviving evidence of the original plan from its period as a hospital; and the remaining original interior elementsincluding the arched wall openings, the fireplace openings, the large bake oven and the massive chimney.Photographed by Cosmos Mariner, May 20, 20244. L'Ancien Hôpital General des Sœurs Grises/The Grey Nuns' Hospital (southwest elevation)
Related markers. Click here for a list of markers that are related to this marker. Mother Marie-Marguerite d'Youville and The Grey Nuns of Montréal
Also see . . .
1. Grey Nuns' Hospital (Wikipedia).
Excerpt: The hospital was built outside the Fortifications of Montreal in 1695. Management and hospital administration were entrusted to the Grey Nuns in 1747.(Submitted on March 23, 2025, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.)
The hospital suffered a major fire in 1765 and was rebuilt again according to the style of French architecture, that is to say, with large walls composed of rough stone called rubble that had been squared and covered in plaster. The architecture, which is very utilitarian, is rudimentary and has little ornamentation. The gable roof prevents the accumulation of snow in winter. The structure, being less massive and simpler to build meant a lower risk of fire. Finally, wrought-iron esses are used to reinforce the structure with stems screwed into the wood frame.
In 1871, the Grey Nuns and their hospital moved uptown to the building known as the Grey Nuns Motherhouse.On the original site, the eastern wings and most of the central chapel were demolished to make way for an extension of Saint-Pierre Street and the construction of new rental shop-warehouses, while the remaining half of the old building was also rented as warehouses. In 1971, the Grey Nuns decided to return to their first motherhouse. Major renovations of the building were undertaken.Photographed by Cosmos Mariner, May 20, 20245. L'Ancien Hôpital General des Sœurs Grises/The Grey Nuns' Hospital (southeast elevation)
2. Grey Nuns' Hospital National Historic Site of Canada (Parks Canada).
Excerpt: The Grey Nuns’ Hospital National Historic Site of Canada is situated in Old Montréal. Built in 1765, the three-and-a-half storey main building is an example of early French Canadian architecture and is the one surviving building of the Grey Nuns' Hospital complex. An attractive building constructed of solid masonry, it is austere in appearance and features an end gable roof, tall casement windows, and a full basement.(Submitted on March 23, 2025, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.)
Photographed by Cosmos Mariner, May 20, 2024
6. L'Ancien Hôpital General des Sœurs Grises/The Grey Nuns' Hospital
Looking northeast across Rue Normand.
Credits. This page was last revised on May 23, 2026. It was originally submitted on March 21, 2025, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida. This page has been viewed 188 times since then and 35 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6. submitted on March 23, 2025, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.
