Montréal is a mishmash of old Europe and contemporary design, with plenty of quirky and unusual experiences in between. Here's some of the weird and wonderful sights you won't find in any other city.
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Notre-Dame Basilica is stunning anytime, but for a truly unique experience, check out Aura Basilica. This immersive multimedia production turns the interior of the Basilica into a canvas for a light show set to surging orchestral music. The columns, ceiling and statues seem to pulse with life as video and lasers are projected all around you in a dazzling 20-minute show.
The big draw of this square by the Palais Des Congrès is the fountain that releases a ring of fire (and an ethereal mist) at certain times of year. The fountain and sculpture by Jean-Paul Riopelle (1923–2002), called "La Joute" (The Joust), was inaugurated here in 2003. During the day this area is filled with nearby office workers having lunch, but summer nights are a big draw – that’s when the pyrotechnics take place.
Constructed of polyester resin, Raymond Mason’s sculpture of 65 people is one of Montréal’s most photographed pieces of public art. The work shows a rather dark side of humanity. A crowd of onlookers stands pressed tightly together. The first row merely looks off into the distance, while behind them, the mood gradually degenerates as figures show a range of emotions – melancholy, fear, lust, hatred and terror.
Shaped like a giant orange, this vintage snack bar along busy Blvd Decarie is a nostalgic soft spot for generations of Montréalers. While the roller-skating waitresses are long gone, you can still feast on greasy French fries and hot dogs in your car outside, washing them down with the signature Orange Julep drink created by Hermas Gibeau in the 1920s. The great orange ball has become a city landmark.
Sun, snow and lack of sobriety are no barrier at this free open-air art gallery smack in the middle of the Village's bar street. It's a sight for sore eyes as you stagger from one bar to another, and the often-abstract works can make more sense coming out of a club at 3 a.m.
North of Kondiaronk lookout stands the Mount Royal Cross, one of Montréal’s most familiar landmarks. Made of reinforced steel, the 31-meter-tall cross was erected in 1924 on the very spot where Maisonneuve placed a wooden cross. According to legend, when floods threatened the fledgling colony in 1643, Maissonneuve prayed to the Virgin Mary to save the town. When the waters receded, out of gratitude Maisonneuve carried a cross up the steep slopes and planted it there.
