Built between 1919 and 1922, Montreal’s Clock Tower stands as a solemn tribute to the Canadian Merchant Navy men lost in World War I. Towering 45 metres above the St. Lawrence River at the entrance to the Old Port, the white Beaux-Arts structure has become both a landmark and a timekeeper, with four 12-foot clock faces powered by a century-old British mechanism similar to Big Ben. Originally commissioned by the Montreal Harbour Commission and designed by engineer Paul Leclaire, the Clock Tower once shielded grain sheds, symbolizing the port’s historical role as a key North American grain export hub.
Today, it anchors Clock Tower Beach—a stretch of sand and boardwalk outfitted with misting stations, blue loungers, and parasols. While the tower is closed to visitors and the beach is swim-free, the site still offers sweeping views of the Jacques-Cartier Bridge, Île Sainte-Hélène, and Old Montreal. It’s a quiet intersection of heritage, leisure, and riverfront urbanism.
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