Saint Joseph’s Oratory of Mount Royal

Saint Joseph's Oratory rises on Mount Royal in Côte-des-Neiges, and its great dome is one of the most recognisable shapes on the Montreal skyline. The shrine began in 1904 as a small chapel built by Brother André, now Saint André Bessette (1845 to 1937), who was devoted to Saint Joseph. The building grew in stages over the following decades and was completed in 1967.

The scale is impressive. The building reaches 102 metres and stands more than 30 metres above the summit of Mount Royal. Its double-shell dome, completed in 1941 under Dom Paul Bellot, was modelled on Florence Cathedral, and the outer shell measures 39 metres across. Pilgrims arrive by two flights of 283 concrete steps, with a central flight of 99 wooden steps reserved for those who climb on their knees.

Inside there is more than one church. The Crypt Church, built between 1914 and 1916, seats 1,000 and has a Carrara marble statue of Saint Joseph. The Art Deco Votive Chapel holds around 10,000 candles and nearly 1,000 ex-votos left by pilgrims, and it contains Brother André's tomb. The basilica itself sits above. The Oratory Museum has a permanent exhibition on Brother André's life.

Entry to the Oratory is free. The shrine is open daily from 6.30am to 9pm, with doors closing ten minutes earlier, and the museum is open daily from 10am to 4.30pm, with the ticket counter closing at 4pm. A restaurant opens daily from 8.30am to 7pm and there is a shop. Groups can book self-guided or guided visits in advance.

The site is certified accessible by Kéroul, with elevators running from the main entrance up to the basilica, and wheelchairs can be borrowed free of charge with identification at the welcome desk. Parking is paid, but there are free periods around Sunday Mass. It suits visitors interested in religious architecture and anyone who wants a quieter view of the city than the downtown lookouts.

Allow one to two hours to see the crypt, the chapel, the basilica and the museum. The building stands high on the mountain, and the paths of Mount Royal Park are close by if you want to continue on foot.