Notre-Dame Basilica unveils restored facade on 25 October
Published on 10/31/2026 at 11:04 | Editorial responsibility: Rafael Müller, Editor-in-Chief AD HOC NEWSRestoration and access after unveiling
- The restored front facade was presented at Notre-Dame Basilica on 25 October 2026.
- Ten-storey scaffolding had hidden the facade during extensive masonry repairs and conservation work.
- James O'Donnell designed the church built between 1824 and 1829.
- The basilica stands at 110 Notre-Dame Street West in Old Montreal.
Notre-Dame Basilica (Basilique Notre-Dame de Montréal) unveiled its restored facade in Montreal on 25 October 2026, bringing a decade of exterior conservation work into public view. The presentation combined the building's restoration with performances on the plaza and inside the church.
Restored facade presented after ten years of scaffolding
The unveiling marked the first public presentation of the facade after it had been concealed by scaffolding for years. Crews carried out extensive masonry repairs and conservation work, with the facade now complete while the wider restoration continues across the building.
The programme included the Société philharmonique du Nouveau Monde, with more than 150 musicians performing Martín Palmeri's Misa Tango under the artistic direction of Michel Brousseau. Organist Jean-Willy Kunz also took part in the presentation. The event was held on the basilica plaza and inside the church, linking the restored exterior with the building's continuing musical use. A restored facade unveiled on 25 October 2026 was reported by CityNews Montreal.
The facade joins a church built from 1824 to 1829
The church was built between 1824 and 1829 to designs by James O'Donnell, an Irish-born architect from New York. The basilica describes it as the first Gothic Revival church in Canada, while the two towers were completed in the early 1840s under John Ostell after O'Donnell's death.
Its interior later acquired the elaborate decoration associated with Victor Bourgeau, whose work was carried out in phases from 1872 into the 1880s. That contrast helps explain why the 2026 facade unveiling is only one part of a larger conservation story: visitors can see an exterior returned from behind scaffolding while historic painted decoration inside remains part of the restoration programme. The official basilica history records the building's architects and construction dates.
Interior conservation continues beyond the 2026 unveiling
The completed facade does not mark the end of the works. The remaining programme includes further masonry repairs and the conservation of historic murals, with specialists preserving painted surfaces rather than simply repainting them.
The restoration has therefore changed what visitors encounter outside without removing the church's wider heritage context. The newly visible facade is a completed stage, while the painted interior and other structural elements remain connected to a long-term programme managed by the parish. Radio-Canada reported that restoration plans continue beyond the facade.
Visiting Notre-Dame Basilica: what travellers from Western Europe should know
- The restored facade was presented on 25 October 2026 at Notre-Dame Basilica, with performances on the plaza and inside the church.
- The facade is now visible without the scaffolding that concealed it, but interior conservation and further restoration work continue.
- The basilica is at 110 Notre-Dame Street West in Old Montreal, near Place-d'Armes station.
- The building is a Gothic Revival church with substantial stonework, twin towers and historic painted decoration inside.
- Entry requirements depend on your nationality; UK travellers can check the FCDO travel advice at gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice, Irish travellers the Department of Foreign Affairs at ireland.ie.
Searching for Notre-Dame Basilica on social platforms
These links open searches for Notre-Dame Basilica on each platform.
Frequently asked questions about Notre-Dame Basilica
What changed at Notre-Dame Basilica on 25 October 2026?
The restored facade was presented after about a decade behind scaffolding. The wider restoration programme continues inside and elsewhere on the building.
Where is Notre-Dame Basilica and how do you get there?
It stands at 110 Notre-Dame Street West in Old Montreal, near Place-d'Armes station.
What is Notre-Dame Basilica?
It is a Gothic Revival church built between 1824 and 1829 to designs by James O'Donnell and later recognised as Canada's first Gothic Revival church.
