Montréal City Hall

The building went up between 1872 and 1878, and survived a severe fire in 1922. And it was from this balcony that French President General de Gaulle uttered his famous “Vive le Québec libre!” (Long live free Québec) during a state visit in 1967. Nearby, inaugurated in 1856, the old courthouse subscribed to the very sober neoclassical tradition typical of the first half of the 19th century. The 1925 version (Ernest-Cormier building) featured a return to classic simplicity and the new one (1 Notre-Dame Street) deals with criminal matters. At the back of City Hall, Champ-de-Mars offers a superb view of downtown Montréal and fascinating historical remains.