St. James' Cathedral

Montreal’s first Catholic cathedral in Canada was St. James. It was built in 1822 in the heart of the French Quarter. After a severe fire, the church was restored by Quebec architects John Ostell Burgo and Victor Burgo. By the time of completion of all the works, the Church of St. James acquired its real appearance - a classical Romanesque building with two symmetrical towers on the main facade.

Over time, it turned out that the cathedral was too heavy for the unstable clay soils on which it was erected, and in 1908 it was decided to change the central facade to lighten the building. So there were arched entrances in the neo-Gothic style and new window openings, taken away by elegant stained glass windows. The interior of the temple is a classic Baroque style: bright spacious vaults, richly decorated with paintings and frescoes, gilded crystal chandeliers and carved decorations of the altar part.