The Notre-Dame lookout balcony mystery
I was browsing through the Bibliothèque’s postcard archive on the weekend and spotted this image which made me curious. Notre-Dame used to have a lookout balcony? Since the news that St. Joseph’s Oratory was supposed to be allowing people up to a new observatory at the top of the dome as of 2013, I’ve wondered about the possibilities church buildings offer for views. After all, there are still whole swaths of town where churches are among the tallest buildings.
A Notre-Dame lookout from which we could see the Old Port would be a fine thing – and a good tourist draw as well. I wonder why they took it down, and whether they could be persuaded to restore it.
Side note on the library’s digital collection: the postcards, the Lovell directories and the Massicotte archive, while reliably interesting and useful, have been there a long time. I’m wondering when or if new material will be added to the site.
Shawn 14:03 on 2011/09/12 Permalink
Wow, that’s amazing. God, we’ve lost so much, it seems to me, with our tendency to seal people in.
Kate 15:12 on 2011/09/12 Permalink
In the general area there’s still the lookout from the top of Bonsecours church (you have to pay) and you can get up to the top of the history museum as well, not sure if you need to have paid for the museum entry – they have a café up there I think you can access without buying a museum ticket. Of course you can’t even go inside Notre-Dame any more without paying.
ant6n 16:58 on 2011/09/12 Permalink
The history museum there in downtown, the triangle one (is that one the you mean?), you can get up for free. It’s a nice view, and has an elevator to boot.
Kate 17:55 on 2011/09/12 Permalink
Yes, Pointe-à-Callière. Thanks for telling me that – it’d be a nice thing to show visitors.
Doobious 19:10 on 2011/09/12 Permalink
Nice find on the postcard.
As far as I know, entry to to Pointe-a-Calliere tower has always been free. Just say you’re going for a coffee if anyone asks.
Another nice spot to take your visitors is the the Concordia EV complex. Excellent views to the east and south from the upper floors, and it’s pretty much open to the public.
Singlestar 19:36 on 2011/09/12 Permalink
I found my way into the little room at the top of the Oratory about 35 years ago, wandering through an unlocked door in a pillar in the main hall. There are actually 2 domes – an inner and an outer and a spiral staircase which runs between the two. I think it was 658 steps down to Queen Mary!
Chris E 19:57 on 2011/09/12 Permalink
They’ll let you into Notre-Dame for free if you say you’re going in for prayer.
Kate 23:41 on 2011/09/12 Permalink
Chris E, I think you may have read that hint on this blog. I was given it once at Notre-Dame just after they instituted the pay system, and some of the people working the guichet seemed still a little sheepish about it. I’m not so sure it would work now.
Singlestar, tell us more! Was there a spectacular view, or a view at all? Did someone catch you and make you leave, or what?
Doobious, I’ve been up there in the EV building and it is indeed kind of nice.
Chris E 18:03 on 2011/09/13 Permalink
My friend, a lapsed Latin American Catholic, did it about a year ago when we wanted to check out the church. They didn’t question us or anything, just let us in. I was kind of amazed by how easy it was.