The South Paifang stands at the intersection of Saint-Laurent Boulevard and Viger Avenue as a traditional Chinese ceremonial gate. It is one of four such ornate arches that mark the boundaries of Montreal’s Chinatown, a district that has…
Immigrant History on The Main
This walking tour traces the cultural spine of Montreal along Boulevard Saint-Laurent, where successive waves of immigrants first settled. You'll visit historic Jewish delis, bustling community hubs, and quiet parks that reveal the rich multicultural history of 'The Main'.
Listen to this tour in the Mira app →Walk it in street view
1. Gate of Chinatown (South Paifang)
2. Monument-National
The Monument-National stands apart on Saint-Laurent Boulevard with its four-story facade of grey cut ashlar stone. You can identify it by the symmetric arrangement of its windows, which grow noticeably smaller as they rise, and the row of…
3. MEM - Centre des mémoires montréalaises
The MEM—Centre des mémoires montréalaises occupies a prominent corner at the intersection of Saint-Laurent Boulevard and Sainte-Catherine Street. You can identify the building by the collection of vintage neon signs from across the city,…
4. Edifice Balfour
The Edifice Balfour, located at three five seven five Boulevard Saint-Laurent, stands ten stories tall and is distinguished by its sober, modern architecture that emphasizes verticality. Built in nineteen twenty-nine and designed by…
5. La Vieille Europe
La Vieille Europe is marked by the scent of coffee beans roasting on the premises, a tradition maintained here since nineteen fifty-nine. Located at thirty-eight fifty-five Boulevard Saint-Laurent, the shop began as a neighborhood butcher…
6. Schwartz's Deli
Schwartz's Deli is marked by the long line of people typically waiting on the sidewalk of Saint-Laurent Boulevard, regardless of the weather. Established in nineteen twenty-eight by Reuben Schwartz, a Romanian immigrant, this Jewish…
7. Musée du Montréal juif - Museum of Jewish Montreal
The Museum of Jewish Montreal began in twenty-ten as a digital map created by Zev Moses, a city planner who noticed that dozens of former synagogues in the city had been converted into homes, churches, or community centers without any…
8. Park of Portugal
Parc du Portugal is distinguished by its use of colorful azulejo ceramic tiles, which decorate its gates, gazebo, and central fountain. Situated on Saint Laurent Boulevard between Marie-Anne Street and Vallières Street, this public space…