Olympic Stadium

The Olympic Stadium stands in Parc Olympique in eastern Montreal, and it is the best-known legacy of the 1976 Summer Olympics. Designed by the French architect Roger Taillibert, it is a bold, curving concrete bowl with a sweeping, sculptural shape that has earned it the nickname the Big O. The name also became a pun, the Big Owe, because the project went far over budget and the debt took decades to pay off. Despite that history, the building has become one of the symbols of the city.

The most striking feature is the Montreal Tower, the leaning tower that rises beside the stadium at a steep angle and is among the tallest inclined towers in the world. A funicular carries visitors up the outside of the tower to an observatory at the top, where the view stretches across the city, the St. Lawrence River and, on a clear day, to distant hills and Mount Royal. The tower was designed to support a retractable roof, though the roof itself has caused problems over the years and was replaced later in a different form. For many years the stadium was the home of Montreal’s baseball team, the Expos, and it has hosted football, concerts and large events.

Today the building is used for sports, trade shows and concerts, and tours explain its history, design and engineering. Visitors who join a tour learn about the Olympic Games, the construction story and the stadium’s role in Montreal’s life, and may see parts of the interior that are normally closed. The surrounding Olympic Park is also a place for recreation, with walking and cycling paths, open lawns, a skatepark and the Morgan Trail, and the esplanade offers space for events and a view of the stadium’s curving form.

The location is convenient. Pie-IX metro station is close to the site, and the Biodome, Montreal Botanical Garden and Insectarium sit across the road, so it is easy to combine several attractions in a single day. Together they make up the Olympic Park district, which has plenty to see for families.

While opening hours and ticket prices for the tower and tours vary by season and by event, the grounds are generally open to walk through. The site suits architecture lovers, sports fans and anyone who wants a panoramic view of Montreal. Allow an hour or two for the tower and a tour, and check the schedule before travelling. Dress for the weather, as the esplanade is exposed and can be windy.