Description of the attraction
The Church of Notre Dame de Bon Secourt is one of the oldest churches in Montreal. The temple is located in the Old Montreal area on Saint Paul Street (the nearest Metro station is Champ-de-Mars).
The church was built in 1771 on the ruins of an old chapel, the construction of which was initiated by the founder of the female monastic order of Notre Dame (Mother of God), Saint Margaret Bourgeois. The original stone chapel was almost completely destroyed in 1754 as a result of a fire; only the reliquary and the wooden statue of the Virgin, which Marguerite Bourgeois brought from France in 1673, miraculously survived in it. The foundations of the burnt chapel were discovered during archaeological research in 1996-97. At the same time, the remains of an ancient Indian settlement were discovered, the age of which is estimated by scientists at about 2400 years.
In the 19th century, the Church of Notre-Dame-de-Bon-Secourt, located next to the old port, became a favorite place for sailors who came to the temple to pray and ask the Mother of God for protection before a long journey, so it was often called the “church of sailors”.
The Church of Notre-Dame-de-Bon-Secourt was built in the Norman Gothic style and is a rather interesting architectural structure. The central domed tower overlooking the harbor is crowned with a huge statue, given in 1849 by the Bishop of Montreal, Ignat Bourget, called the "Star of the Sea". The interior decoration of the temple is also quite mesmerizing with its colorful stained-glass windows, impressive wall paintings, sculptures and models of sailing ships soaring under the arches of the church.
There is a small but interesting museum of Marguerite Bourgeois at the Church of Notre-Dame-de-Bon-Secourt, the exposition of which acquaints guests with the life history of Saint Margaret, as well as the early history of Montreal and, in fact, the Church of Notre-Dame-de-Bon-Secourt … The museum collection features various church relics, paintings, sculptures, books, archaeological objects found during the excavation of the original chapel and much more. You can also visit the archaeological site itself. It is located under the nave and can be accessed through the crypt.
You will also get a lot of pleasure climbing the church tower, from the observation deck of which you can enjoy excellent panoramic views of the Old Port and the St. Lawrence River.
