Sunday, 7 November 2010

Canada Trip Day 18: Grandest Sanctuary at Notre-Dame Basilica (Montreal)

30 June 2010 - On our way back from Chinatown, we dropped by Basilique Notre-Dame de Montréal. Old cathedrals are often fascinating pieces of art. You can never quite expect what you'd see inside from their dull, greyish Gothic Revival exterior.

I was absolutely caught by surprise of Notre-Dame Basilica's most beautiful sanctuary. It was exquisite, grand, colourful and definitely heaven-like. The other altars were covered with beautiful wooden carvings. Everything in there was a lovely piece of artwork ripen by age, history and the admiration from its countless visitors. You may find these elements in the basilica most interesting.

Wikipedia well-describes the basilica as 
"The church's Gothic Revival architecture is among the most dramatic in the world; its interior is grand and colourful, its ceiling is coloured deep blue and decorated with golden stars, and the rest of the sanctuary is a polychrome of blues, azures, reds, purples, silver, and gold. It is filled with hundreds of intricate wooden carvings and several religious statues. Unusual for a church, the stained glass windows along the walls of the sanctuary do not depict biblical scenes, but rather scenes from the religious history of Montreal. It also has a Casavant Frères pipe organ, which comprises four keyboards, 97 stops, over 9000 individual pipes and a pedal board."
The guide was telling us that the two largest pipes of the pipe organ was so big that the Casavant brothers had to order them from France. Casavant Frères has made over 3800 organs, which is amazing.

The Sacré-Coeur chapel at the back of the sanctuary is yet another impressive piece of artwork. Standing 8 metres tall is a bronze sculpture by Charles Daudelin, representing the stages of life people go through, eventually, returning to God, the Holy Trinity.

Sakana took some very amazing photos of the basilica.

The most beautiful sanctuary at the Notre-Dame Basilica in Montreal

Notre-Dame Basilica of Montreal

Statues of divinity

BMO Bank of Montreal, right in front of the basilica

An altar at the Notre-Dame Basilica. There are several different altars around the congregation hall

Intricate wooden carvings surrounds a painting of Mother Mary at an altar

Another richly decorated altar

Altar of a crucifix, with paintings and stained glass windows by its sides

Two separate altars

View of the sanctuary at Notre-Dame Basilica in Montreal from the pulpit

Beautiful ivory-coloured spires tower over the blue heavenly-looking lighted walls

Intricately carved sculptures of saints surrounded the sanctuary with light coming down from its stained glass ceilings

Biblical scenes are retold in the form of beautiful sculptures in Notre-Dame Basilica of Montreal

The sanctuary of Notre-Dame Basilica turns geometry into an impressive piece of art. There is perfect symmetry in every arch and tower.

View of the sanctuary of Notre-Dame Basilica from the aisle. It must be wonderful to get married here! And, apparently, a lot of celebrities did get married here.

Close-up view of the statues of saints

Statue of a King placing the crown on the head of someone

Scene of the Last Supper

The Cruxifixion

Sculptures at the base of the sanctuary

Reliquaries before the Altar

Two floors of seats around the congregation hall

The pulpit, which according to its official website, is the basilica's grandest ornament.

Casavant Frères pipe organ

Chapel of Notre-Dame du Sacré-Cœur with massive bronze sculpture by Charles Daudelin and two bronze statues by the side by Jules Lasalle

The arches represent stages which humans have to go through to reach God;

The Holy Trinity represented by the sun as the Father, Jesus' head as the Son, and a bird with massive wings as the Holy Spirit

Humans having to go through stages in life

Pipe organ at the chapel

At the side of the chapel with richly wooden carved walls and tiny altars

A smaller altar in the chapel


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