About
Sainte-Catherine Street
Downtown has always been identified with Sainte-Catherine Street , Montreal 's renowned commercial thoroughfare. Stretching for 15 kilometers across the city from east to west, the Street is lined with the major department stores, shops and restaurants that have been the pride of Montreal for more than a century.
Today, Sainte-Catherine Street is busier than ever, as more and more office towers shoot up all around it, blending with the underground shopping malls to which it connects. No fewer than eight metro stations (the green line running parallel) serve the Street, allowing visitors to discover diverse neighborhoods as they travel along.
To know more about it, visit :
www.tourisme-montreal.org
The downtown underground pedestrian network
To Montrealers, it goes by the name "the underground city" or simply "the underground". They're actually referring to the vast network of pedestrian walkways spread out below the city .
To put a number on it, there are 30 kilometers of connecting areas, passageways and hubs beneath the downtown area. More than 500,000 people pass through the underground city every day, on their way to work, university or to scope out bargains at the over 1,700 boutiques and businesses.
The many passageways also serve a more leisurely purpose; connecting certain metro stations, the underground provides access to about 40 theatres, cinemas and other entertainment venues, as well as restaurants, tourist attractions and museums .
The concept of underground commerce began in 1962, with the lower level shopping mall in Place Ville Marie , Montreal 's first skyscraper. With the coming of Expo '67 to the city , Montreal 's long-standing placeam of a metro finally became a reality.
Following this, the underground went through multiple stages of development. Without a doubt, one of the more spectacular periods was the raising of Christ Church Catheplacal on piles, in order to lay the foundations for a shopping center underneath it .
As of March 2003, another series of passageways will extend the existing network to include a quaplacant in the new Quartier international. A focus on arts and culture will be favored over commercial activities, with display windows and alcoves presenting the richness of Montreal 's museum collections.
Heltered from the elements - winter's cold or summer's heat - Montrealers continue their busy lives and tourists take a break from theirs, underground
The underground city has 38.8 million square feet (3.6 million m2) of flooring, which represents :
- 80 % of downtown office space;
- 35 % of all downtown businesses;
- 10,000 indoor parking spaces;
- 155 street entrances.
It is one of the biggest under world!
To know more about it, visit :
www.tourisme-montreal.org
Quartier international
The Quartier international, linking the modern yet hectic downtown to the tranquil streets of the old city, offers many cultural activities in addition to Montreal 's finest design and architecture that visitors and tourists can enjoy while they are walking in this District eager to find its hidden treasures.
"La Joute", the work of artist Jean-Paul Riopelle stands in the center of the new public square created in his honor. To respect the wishes of the famous artist who died in 2001, a ring of fire circles rhe magnificient fountain/sculpture. La Place Jean-Paul Riopelle opens on the recently renovated and more spacious convention center (Palais des Congrès).
The Quartier international is located between the business district and Old Montreal. This project, which represents an investment of more than $60 million, is now a main center of economic growth for Montreal. By itself, the Quartier regroups 80% of the employees working in international organizations.
This district, which is exceptionally located as far as business and tourism are concerned, shows the highest concentration of international activities and organizations in Canada . It is the main reserve for large spaces in the business district with more than 48,500 square meters in the Quartier international ready for real estate development.
The convention center (Palais des Congrès), the OACI and the Centre de commerce mondial can be found on the territory of the Quartier International which is delimited by the streets Saint-Urbain, Saint-Antoine, Saint-Jacques (between McGill and University), University and Viger.
To know more about it, visit :
www.tourisme-montreal.org
Museum Quarter
At the heart of the city's cultural life, the Museum Quarter radiates out from the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts. The Museum Quarter's historical and architectural richness, spilling over into surrounding streets, creates a special ambiance that leaves a lasting impression on visitors.
Crescent, de la Montagne and Sherbrooke Streets are the hub of the district's vibrant business life. High-end, designer fashion and décor boutiques, international shops, art galleries, jewellers and exquisite fine dining never fail to win visitors over.
To know more about it, visit :
www.tourisme-montreal.org
Quartier des spectacles
A century-old tradition of shows and performances in Downtown Montreal makes the Quartier des Spectacles the heart of today’s cultural metropolis. Within this square kilometer of the city, one can find over 80 cultural venues, including 30 performance halls with almost 28,000 seats. The diverse cultural activities of the neighbourhood unfold in indoor venues as well as outdoors, during major events and internationally known festivals. Over 7,000 cultural jobs are found here, from education to creation, cultural production and broadcasting. Reaching out from the central intersection of Sainte-Catherine and Saint-Laurent, the borders of the Quartier des Spectacles run along City Councilors, Berri and Sherbrooke streets and René-Lévesque Boulevard.
Taking place just aside of Montreal's financial and business districts , the Quartier des spectacles testifies to Montreal's cultural vitality and contributes to its international repute.
To know more about it, visit :
www.tourisme-montreal.org
Crescent Street
Running perpendicular to Sainte-Catherine Street in the heart of downtown, Crescent Street's specialty and high-end boutiques attract Montrealers and visitors alike.
North of boulevard de Maisonneuve, the Street's sumptuous Victorian architecture housing luxury boutiques, haute couture showrooms and art galleries has been carefully showcased, giving the Street a distinctive touch of elegance.
To the south, nightclubs, restaurants, bars, outdoor cafés and pubs add frivolity and excitement. Montréal's "joie de vivre" inevitably spills over onto south Crescent Street .
To know more about it, visit :
www.tourisme-montreal.org
