Notre-Dame Basilica

Step through the doors of Notre-Dame Basilica and the first thing you notice is the colour. A deep blue vaulted ceiling is scattered with golden stars, and every surface below it is carved, gilded or painted in rich reds, purples and golds. It is among the most striking church interiors in North America, and it faces Place d'Armes in the centre of Old Montreal.

The building was designed by James O'Donnell, an Irish-born architect working in New York, who is said to have converted to Catholicism during the project and was later buried in the crypt. It opened in 1829, and its two towers followed later. The west tower is named Temperance and the east tower Perseverance. The latter contains the bell known as Jean-Baptiste, which weighs about ten tonnes. The Gothic Revival style, new to a French Catholic parish, was unusual for its day and helped set the pattern for much church building in Quebec.

Inside, the sanctuary is a mass of intricate wood carving, much of it made by hand. The stained glass is also unusual, because instead of showing biblical scenes it depicts episodes from the early history of Montreal. Behind the main altar, the Sacré-Coeur Chapel was rebuilt after a fire in 1978 and mixes older carved woodwork with a contemporary bronze altarpiece. The great Casavant Organ, with several thousand pipes, dates from 1891 and is still played, and concerts here, including the Music O'Clock series, are among the most atmospheric in the city. In 1982 Pope John Paul II elevated the church to the status of basilica, and it remains an active place of worship as well as a tourist stop.

Montrealers have long used the basilica for weddings and ceremonies. Céline Dion was married here in 1994, and her late husband's funeral was held here in 2016. In the evening, the light-and-sound show The AURA Experience, created by Moment Factory, projects colour across the interior, and the show has become a separate attraction for visitors who have already seen the church by day.

Visitors are asked to dress respectfully and keep quiet during services, and some areas are closed during Mass. Opening hours, tickets and concert schedules change, so check the official site. It suits history lovers, architecture fans and anyone with an hour to spare in Old Montreal.