Saint Joseph's Oratory

Canada's largest church, set on the slopes of Mount Royal and topped by a huge copper dome.

It was founded in 1904 by Saint André Bessette, known as Brother André, in honour of his patron saint, Saint Joseph. The oratory rises more than 30 metres above the summit, which makes it the highest building in Montreal and visible from many kilometres away. Its Renaissance Revival front and Art Deco inside make it easy to recognise around the world.

From a tiny chapel to a giant church

Brother André was a religious brother who became famous as a healer. In 1904 he was given money to build a small chapel on the mountain. The chapel measured only 4.5 by 5.5 metres, and it was enlarged four times as his fame grew. It still stands today, moved about a hundred metres to make room for the great basilica. His order, the Congregation of Holy Cross, later agreed to build a basilica for his patron saint, as he had wished.

Six decades of building

The huge church was the work of many architects and thousands of workers over about sixty years. It has a Renaissance Revival front, while the inside is Art Deco. Since 2018 the dome and lantern have been renovated in a C$80 million project, so visitors can safely reach the lantern for a 360-degree view over the city. The first phase of the basilica was handled by the architects Dalbé Viau and Alphonse Venne.

On the globe

The model shows the huge copper dome on the mountainside, the thing to look for from far away.