Basilique Notre-Dame de Bon-Secours

Notre-Dame-de-Bon-Secours is the oldest chapel in Montreal — known as the Sailors' Church because of the ship models hanging from the ceiling, donated by grateful sailors who survived the dangerous transatlantic crossing. The chapel was founded by Marguerite Bourgeoys in 1655 (the current building dates to 1771 after a fire destroyed the original), and its location near the Old Port waterfront reflects its historic role as the last place sailors prayed before departing and the first place they gave thanks upon arriving.

The ship models suspended from the nave ceiling are the chapel's most distinctive feature — wooden replicas of sailing vessels and steamships, some over a century old, that sway gently in the air currents and give the interior the atmosphere of a maritime museum more than a church. The archaeological crypt beneath the chapel reveals foundations from Marguerite Bourgeoys' original 1655 building and earlier First Nations artifacts, adding another historical layer to an already deep site.

The observation tower, accessible via a narrow staircase inside the chapel, provides one of the best views in Old Montreal — a panorama of the Old Port, the river, the Jacques Cartier Bridge, and the Bonsecours Market next door. The tower is less visited than Mount Royal's belvedere, which means you often have the view to yourself. Marguerite Bourgeoys, the chapel's founder, was canonised as a saint in 1982, and the small museum dedicated to her life provides context for the extraordinary women who built Montreal's religious and educational institutions.