Expo Host City Montreal: Religion a Focal Point in the City's History

Religion: A Focal Point in Montréal’s History provided by Expo's host city, Tourisme Montréal

In 1535 the Iroquoian village of Hochelaga was visited by French explorer Jacques Cartier, and approximately 100 years later Sieur de Maisonneuve founded the settlement of Ville-Marie, Montréal’s former name. The first sign of Christianity was the cross planted in 1643 atop Mount Royal.

While still the highest monument in Montréal, it’s far from being the only religious symbol in a city of more than 80 ethnic groups. The legacy of religion in Montréal can be seen in the hundreds of church steeples that point to the heavens and heard in the sounds that flow from the city’s more than 600 places of worship. For anyone with an interest in religious art, architecture and music, the “Rome of America,” as Montréal was once known, is one of the most enriched cities on the continent.