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    The Main

    Montreal's Cultural Directory

    Help us improve! Share your thoughts on how we can make your experience better.

    Leave feedback

    For partnerships and collaborations:

    partnerships@themain.com

    Content

    • Articles
    • Food & Drink
    • Arts & Culture
    • History Lesson
    • Bulletin
    • Events

    Guides

    • All Guides
    • Best Restaurants
    • Best Cafés
    • Best Bars
    • Best Brunch
    • Best Bakeries

    Explore Montreal

    • Browse Directory
    • Restaurants
    • Bars
    • Cafés
    • Bookstores
    • Leaderboard
    • Editor's Picks
    • New Places

    About

    • About us
    • Subscribe
    • Shop
    • Advertise
    • Pitch us
    • RSS Feed

    Legal

    • Terms of service
    • Membership Terms
    • Privacy Policy
    Follow us
    InstagramTwitterTiktokLinkedin

    The Main Media Inc. 2026

    ✦ Built By Field Office

      Your cart

      Your cart is empty.

      --°C|Wednesday, June 17, 2026|
      Subscribe today to get 3 free articles per month.Get 50% off your first 5 rides with Lyft
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      --°C|Wednesday, June 17, 2026|
      Subscribe today to get 3 free articles per month.Get 50% off your first 5 rides with Lyft
      InstagramTwitterTiktokLinkedin
      |
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      EN/FR
      The Main Logo
      Magazine
      Sections
      • Arts & Culture
      • Beyond Montreal
      • Design
      • Food & Drink
      • History Lessons
      • The Bulletin
      Explore
      Popular Guides
      • The Best Restaurants in Montreal
      • Best new Restaurants
      • Best Cafés
      • Unique Boutiques
      • Romantic Restaurants
      • Best Bookstores
      • See all Guides
      Neighbourhood
      • Downtown
      • Le Plateau-Mont-Royal
      • Mile End
      • Mile-Ex
      • Saint-Henri
      • See All
      Business Type
      • Restaurant
      • Café
      • Boutique / Store
      • Bar
      • Bakery
      • See All
      Near the Metro
      • Peel
      • Mont-Royal
      • Place-Saint-Henri
      • Place-d'Armes
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      • View all
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      More History Lesson

      Everyone's Street, Nobody's Neighbourhood: The Story of Plaza St-Hubert
      History Lesson
      J.P. Karwacki

      Everyone's Street, Nobody's Neighbourhood: The Story of Plaza St-Hubert

      The 200-year story of a street that's always belonged to everyone and no one.

      The Last Stand of Louis Cyr, the World’s Strongest Man
      History Lesson
      J.P. Karwacki

      The Last Stand of Louis Cyr, the World’s Strongest Man

      He patrolled the streets of Montreal, packed theatres across Europe, and returned to the city for an event that felt part miracle, part funeral.

      What Happened to Frederick Law Olmsted’s Vision for Mount Royal?
      History Lesson
      J.P. Karwacki

      What Happened to Frederick Law Olmsted’s Vision for Mount Royal?

      As Mount Royal Park turns 150, the story of its creation reveals how Olmsted's vision for the mountain was compromised almost from the very beginning.

      The Strange Architectural Afterlife of Joseph-Arthur Godin
      History Lesson
      Sara Mizannojehdehi

      The Strange Architectural Afterlife of Joseph-Arthur Godin

      You may not recognize the name, but the Montreal architect’s curved facades, vanished theatres, churches, and landmark apartment buildings remain woven into the city’s everyday landscape.

      The Historic Mount Royal Hotel Is Now Home to Montreal's Best Office Space
      History Lesson
      Sponsored
      The Main

      The Historic Mount Royal Hotel Is Now Home to Montreal's Best Office Space

      Once known as the historic Mount Royal Hotel, the Les Cours Mont-Royal is seeing renewed demand as its overlooked office spaces fill up and tenants move in.

      The Day a Downtown Campus Burned and What Came After
      History Lesson
      J.P. Karwacki

      The Day a Downtown Campus Burned and What Came After

      What began as a complaint about grading bias escalated into a two-week occupation, a fire, and one of the most consequential reckonings with institutional racism in Canadian higher education.

      Get to the heart of Montreal's Latino communities through a single grocery store
      History Lesson
      J.P. Karwacki

      Get to the Heart of Montreal's Latino Communities Through a Single Grocery Store

      For decades, Sabor Latino's been the gravitational centre for Montreal's Latino communities.

      How Little Portugal carved out its place in the Plateau
      History Lesson
      Phylida Tuff-West

      How Little Portugal Carved Out Its Place in the Plateau

      From postwar migration to piri piri chicken, Azorean immigrants transformed an iconic Montreal neighbourhood with enduring community.

      How Montreal Built Its Own Irish Pub Culture
      History Lesson
      J.P. Karwacki

      How Montreal Built Its Own Irish Pub Culture

      The shamrock has been on Montreal's coat of arms since 1832, and the pub culture that followed has been here just as long.

      The Montreal Punch That May Have Killed Houdini
      History Lesson
      J.P. Karwacki

      The Montreal Punch That May Have Killed Houdini

      A backstage encounter at a Montreal theatre, a few punches, a death six weeks later. The cause remains disputed.

      From opera house to haunted relic to hot ticket, Montreal's Rialto Theatre refuses to die
      History Lesson
      J.P. Karwacki

      From Opera House to Haunted Relic to Hot Ticket, Montreal's Rialto Theatre Refuses to Die

      A near-forgotten movie palace that's outlasted demolition plans, disco dreams, and decades of decline to become one of Montreal’s most resilient cultural landmarks.

      The Flying Cathedral That Made a City Lose Its Mind
      History Lesson
      J.P. Karwacki

      The Flying Cathedral That Made a City Lose Its Mind

      In the summer of 1930, a British airship the length of two and a half Boeing 747s locked onto a mooring mast on the South Shore. Nearly a million people came to watch.

      More History Lesson

      Everyone's Street, Nobody's Neighbourhood: The Story of Plaza St-Hubert
      History Lesson
      J.P. Karwacki

      Everyone's Street, Nobody's Neighbourhood: The Story of Plaza St-Hubert

      The 200-year story of a street that's always belonged to everyone and no one.

      The Last Stand of Louis Cyr, the World’s Strongest Man
      History Lesson
      J.P. Karwacki

      The Last Stand of Louis Cyr, the World’s Strongest Man

      He patrolled the streets of Montreal, packed theatres across Europe, and returned to the city for an event that felt part miracle, part funeral.

      What Happened to Frederick Law Olmsted’s Vision for Mount Royal?
      History Lesson
      J.P. Karwacki

      What Happened to Frederick Law Olmsted’s Vision for Mount Royal?

      As Mount Royal Park turns 150, the story of its creation reveals how Olmsted's vision for the mountain was compromised almost from the very beginning.

      The Strange Architectural Afterlife of Joseph-Arthur Godin
      History Lesson
      Sara Mizannojehdehi

      The Strange Architectural Afterlife of Joseph-Arthur Godin

      You may not recognize the name, but the Montreal architect’s curved facades, vanished theatres, churches, and landmark apartment buildings remain woven into the city’s everyday landscape.

      The Historic Mount Royal Hotel Is Now Home to Montreal's Best Office Space
      History Lesson
      Sponsored
      The Main

      The Historic Mount Royal Hotel Is Now Home to Montreal's Best Office Space

      Once known as the historic Mount Royal Hotel, the Les Cours Mont-Royal is seeing renewed demand as its overlooked office spaces fill up and tenants move in.

      The Day a Downtown Campus Burned and What Came After
      History Lesson
      J.P. Karwacki

      The Day a Downtown Campus Burned and What Came After

      What began as a complaint about grading bias escalated into a two-week occupation, a fire, and one of the most consequential reckonings with institutional racism in Canadian higher education.

      Get to the heart of Montreal's Latino communities through a single grocery store
      History Lesson
      J.P. Karwacki

      Get to the Heart of Montreal's Latino Communities Through a Single Grocery Store

      For decades, Sabor Latino's been the gravitational centre for Montreal's Latino communities.

      How Little Portugal carved out its place in the Plateau
      History Lesson
      Phylida Tuff-West

      How Little Portugal Carved Out Its Place in the Plateau

      From postwar migration to piri piri chicken, Azorean immigrants transformed an iconic Montreal neighbourhood with enduring community.

      How Montreal Built Its Own Irish Pub Culture
      History Lesson
      J.P. Karwacki

      How Montreal Built Its Own Irish Pub Culture

      The shamrock has been on Montreal's coat of arms since 1832, and the pub culture that followed has been here just as long.

      The Montreal Punch That May Have Killed Houdini
      History Lesson
      J.P. Karwacki

      The Montreal Punch That May Have Killed Houdini

      A backstage encounter at a Montreal theatre, a few punches, a death six weeks later. The cause remains disputed.

      From opera house to haunted relic to hot ticket, Montreal's Rialto Theatre refuses to die
      History Lesson
      J.P. Karwacki

      From Opera House to Haunted Relic to Hot Ticket, Montreal's Rialto Theatre Refuses to Die

      A near-forgotten movie palace that's outlasted demolition plans, disco dreams, and decades of decline to become one of Montreal’s most resilient cultural landmarks.

      The Flying Cathedral That Made a City Lose Its Mind
      History Lesson
      J.P. Karwacki

      The Flying Cathedral That Made a City Lose Its Mind

      In the summer of 1930, a British airship the length of two and a half Boeing 747s locked onto a mooring mast on the South Shore. Nearly a million people came to watch.

      Related Classics

      From our archive.

      History Lesson

      Vintage Photos of Montreal's Most Famous Landmarks, from the Notre-Dame Basilica to Marché Maisonneuve

      See what these iconic spots looked like over 100 years ago.

      ByDaniel Bromberg

      April 13, 2023 · 11 min read

      Vintage Photos of Montreal's Most Famous Landmarks, from the Notre-Dame Basilica to Marché Maisonneuve
      Market, Jacques Cartier Square, Montreal, QC, about 1930 | Photograph: William Fowle / Notman photographic Archives - McCord Museum

      The Main is reader-supported. Subscriptions are what keep us independent. Five dollars a month — the restaurants, the guides, the weekly bulletin, and what to do each weekend. Support us today.

      Ask most people what they think of when you say Montreal and they’ll probably say: construction, winter, construction, snow, construction, cold, construction… you get the point. And while true, those answers miss the mark: Visitors to the city often recall its thriving arts and nightlife scene, incredible food and drink culture, and the intermixing of French and English (sadly now under fire by the current Quebec government).

      De plus, Montreal is renowned for its rich history and beautiful architecture. From gigantic spheres like the skeletal remains of the Biosphere to the neo-gothic Notre-Dame Basilica in the heart of Old Montreal, the city is home to a number of famous landmarks that have withstood the test of time. And although AI-generated images are currently all the rage, there's something – dare I say magical – about vintage photos that help transport us back in time and give us a glimpse of what life was like in Montreal decades ago.

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      For readers who care about Montreal

      Create a free account to read this story and access 3 articles per month, plus our weekly Bulletin.

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      Comments

      Welcome to The Main's comments section!

      Share your thoughts and join the conversation. Please be respectful and constructive.

      No comments yet. Be the first!

      Follow on Google

      Related Classics

      From our archive.

      History Lesson

      Vintage Photos of Montreal's Most Famous Landmarks, from the Notre-Dame Basilica to Marché Maisonneuve

      See what these iconic spots looked like over 100 years ago.

      ByDaniel Bromberg

      April 13, 2023 · 11 min read

      Vintage Photos of Montreal's Most Famous Landmarks, from the Notre-Dame Basilica to Marché Maisonneuve
      Market, Jacques Cartier Square, Montreal, QC, about 1930 | Photograph: William Fowle / Notman photographic Archives - McCord Museum

      The Main is reader-supported. Subscriptions are what keep us independent. Five dollars a month — the restaurants, the guides, the weekly bulletin, and what to do each weekend. Support us today.

      Ask most people what they think of when you say Montreal and they’ll probably say: construction, winter, construction, snow, construction, cold, construction… you get the point. And while true, those answers miss the mark: Visitors to the city often recall its thriving arts and nightlife scene, incredible food and drink culture, and the intermixing of French and English (sadly now under fire by the current Quebec government).

      De plus, Montreal is renowned for its rich history and beautiful architecture. From gigantic spheres like the skeletal remains of the Biosphere to the neo-gothic Notre-Dame Basilica in the heart of Old Montreal, the city is home to a number of famous landmarks that have withstood the test of time. And although AI-generated images are currently all the rage, there's something – dare I say magical – about vintage photos that help transport us back in time and give us a glimpse of what life was like in Montreal decades ago.

      Free account required

      For readers who care about Montreal

      Create a free account to read this story and access 3 articles per month, plus our weekly Bulletin.

      Independent. Local. Reader-supported.

      or

      Already a member? Sign in

      Comments

      Welcome to The Main's comments section!

      Share your thoughts and join the conversation. Please be respectful and constructive.

      No comments yet. Be the first!

      Follow on Google
      The Main

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