Become an Urban Explorer of the Past!
An introductory video featuring a sequence of animated 3D reconstructions of the area surrounding the Parliament, as well as other neighbourhoods of Old Montréal. The camera moves through the environment—panning, zooming in and out over different zones—revealing details such as unpaved streets lined with buildings of varied styles, close-ups of façades, passersby, and more. The video lasts two minutes and forty-five seconds and concludes with access to the interactive map.
In 1848, Montréal was the largest and most prosperous city in the Province of Canada, a colony of the British Empire. A thriving capital, it brought French- and English-speaking communities together in a whirlwind of political, economic, and social activity.
But everything changed in 1849: the Parliament was set on fire by political opponents. Montréal then abruptly lost its status as the capital. The end of an era… but not the end of its story.
Beneath the city, archaeologists and historians have rediscovered the intact remains of the remarkable Parliament site.
Dive into six Montréal neighbourhoods in 1848, each revealing a different side of this bustling capital:
 | Everyone to Parliament! |
 | The Present-day Place D’Youville: A Waterway Turned Commercial Artery |
 | Place de la Douane: An Era of Port Development |
 | Place d’Armes: Prestige, Power, and Faith |
 | Notre-Dame Street: Government, Justice, and Commerce |
 | Champ-de-Mars: Military Parades and Public Gatherings |
Authentic objects, remarkable figures, and dramatic events await you along the way.
Welcome to Montréal, capital of the Province of Canada!