Saint Joseph's Oratory of Mount Royal

Rising majestically above the cityscape is Saint Joseph’s Oratory of Mount Royal. It is the largest sanctuary dedicated to Saint Joseph and one of the world’s most visited pilgrimage sites with over 2 million visitors per year.  

In 1904, Brother André, a simple porter renowned for his miracle cures (which he attributed to God through Saint Joseph), set out to construct a small wooden chapel, which would ultimately become one of the city’s most impressive religious buildings. It wasn’t until 1967, thirty years after his death, that the immense sanctuary was completed.

The shrine includes a majestic basilica for close to 2,000 worshippers, with a dome that reaches a soaring 97 metres, the original chapel, a votive chapel, and a crypt. Here lies Brother André, canonized in 2010 as Saint André of Montréal by Pope Benedict XVI in Rome. Located in the heart of the Basilica, the Museum of Saint Joseph’s Oratory is dedicated to sacred art from Québec and abroad.

One of Saint Joseph’s Oratory’s best kept secrets, the outdoor Garden of the Way of the Cross with 17 splendid sculptures offers a peaceful oasis from the hubbub of city life below. 

And you can even stay overnight on the site; Pavillon Jean XXIII offers a hotel service with breakfast.