Around 1850, Montreal’s Anglo-Protestant elite sought to create a new burial space that would reflect the growing international fascination for the “rural cemetery,” where families could build funeral monuments in a landscaped, natural environment. They selected the northern side of Mount Royal, despite its many disadvantages (steep slopes, rocky terrain, dense forest), since this setting offered an ideal opportunity to display family fortunes.
Mount Royal Cemetery contains extensive burial plots that celebrate wealth and prestige as surely as their great estates in the Square Mile, on the mountain’s southern flank. But Montrealers of all religious backgrounds and social classes would find a final “home” within the cemetery’s walls, often distorting the founders’ original vision. The visit, with Rod MacLeod, montreal historian, will explore how historic divisions within Montreal society are reflected in the design of Canada’s most beautiful cemetery.
Departure point: Cemetery Gates at the top of the hill, 1297 Chemin de la Forêt, Outremont, Quebec
Length: 2hrs
The activity will be offered in English with a bilingual Q&A.
Reservations required, the event is limited to 30 people.
