Saint Joseph's Oratory of Mount Royal

Saint Joseph's Oratory of Mount Royal

Saint Joseph's Oratory of Mount Royal
4.5
Religious SitesChurches & Cathedrals
6:00 AM - 9:00 PM
Monday
6:00 AM - 9:00 PM
Tuesday
6:00 AM - 9:00 PM
Wednesday
6:00 AM - 9:00 PM
Thursday
6:00 AM - 9:00 PM
Friday
6:00 AM - 9:00 PM
Saturday
6:00 AM - 9:00 PM
Sunday
6:00 AM - 9:00 PM
About
Saint Joseph's Oratory of Mount-Royal, founded by Saint Brother André in 1904, is a catholic sanctuary and the largest shrine dedicated to Saint Joseph in the world. It receives over 2 million visitors yearly. We welcome everyone to partake in panoramic views, music concerts and special religious celebrations; come discover natural, cultural and spiritual treasures in the heart of the city. You will marvel at the votive chapel containing 10,000 candles, the Oratory Museum featuring nativity scenes from around the world, the Original Chapel, the spectacular Garden of the Way of Cross, the Crypt Church and the largest domed Basilica in North America.
Duration: 2-3 hours
Suggest edits to improve what we show.
Improve this listing
Tours & experiences
Explore different ways to experience this place.
What is Travellers’ Choice?
Tripadvisor gives a Travellers’ Choice award to accommodations, attractions and restaurants that consistently earn great reviews from travellers and are ranked within the top 10% of properties on Tripadvisor.
Top ways to experience Saint Joseph's Oratory of Mount Royal
The area
Address
Neighbourhood: Parc du Mont-Royal
Montreal was named for this hilly highland, where the tallest spot in the city overlooks its most extensive parkland. The greenspace of Parc du Mont-Royal is an outdoorsman's dream, with hiking trails and nature walks that cater to every season and level of athlete. In the winter, cross-country skiers, tobogganers, and ice skaters don their equipment by Beaver Lake and its pavilion, while the warmer months bring families and competitors to the pitches of Jeanne-Mance Park for tennis, soccer, football, baseball, volleyball, or a dip in the community pool. A perfect spot for a stroll or a picnic, the forest foliage is dotted with sculpture art and offers views of some of Mont-Royal's oldest edifices, the towering St. Joseph's Oratory and the mausoleums of Notre-Dame-des-Neiges. Home to musical celebrations and twilight snowshoeing alike, visit here to walk, write, rest, think, or just be.
How to get there
  • Côte-des-Neiges • 9 min walk
Reach out directly
See what travellers are saying
  • Astrobeemer
    Vancouver, Canada644 contributions
    Largest church in Canada with third largest dome in world
    This is the largest church in Canada with the third largest church dome in the world. Lots to see, from the Crypt to the Votive Chapel and the Shrine. It is quite extensive, and will take you more than an hour to see everything. It can also get very busy and somewhat crowded in some areas especially if you happen to be there as tour busses arrive. However, it is big enough that there lots of areas where you can find a quiet contemplative spot to yourself. Some areas were being renovated but it didn’t affect our visit.
    Visited January 2022
    Travelled as a couple
    Written December 22, 2022
  • OmanRob
    Canmore, Canada1,325 contributions
    Impressive in the extreme
    An Instagram friend suggested a visit here and I’m very glad we did. The main basilica is mid century modern with incredible space and lighting - lots of great photo ops. The original chapel below is stunning and makes for an interesting hours wander Rob
    Visited April 2023
    Travelled as a couple
    Written April 4, 2023
  • kathnelson
    Haverford, Pennsylvania8 contributions
    Underwhelmed
    Lots of construction at time of visit created confusion about parking and approach to entrance. A shuttle was provided. The entrance took us through a “cafeteria” and shop to the stairs. I expected a grand cathedral, but it was not grand by my standards. The view of the city did not bowl me over by any means. Seriously, not worth the effort. We did this as an alternative to climbing up to Mont Royal….should have done the climb.
    Visited June 2023
    Written June 18, 2023
  • aspoe093
    Pierre, South Dakota621 contributions
    Cool Church
    This was our last stop in Montreal and was a great visit. Just the size alone is awe-inspiring. Also, some of the views are great. There is a shuttle to get you to the top and probably well worth it as the walk is up a hill. The church itself was nice and there were plenty to look at on each level.
    Visited June 2023
    Travelled as a couple
    Written June 30, 2023
  • ArtsyGalBaltimore
    813 contributions
    Moving Experience at Saint Joseph's Oratory
    Well worth a visit to the largest shrine dedicated to St. Joseph with early 4:30 closure. Parking affected by construction but we parked on the street for free (varies by weekday). Multi-level structure from sublime to pedestrian (passageways). Small museum with nativity scenes from throughout the world, interesting at $3C. Basilica and Crypt amazing with ample opportunity to light votive candles. Invested in a $3C guidebook at entrance and well worth it. Large gift shop. Visit multi-cultural experience with a wide range of visitors. Main alter quite beautiful.
    Visited June 2023
    Written July 1, 2023
  • Brendan S
    Arlington, Virginia1,580 contributions
    Important shrine
    There are some cathedrals that are architecturally interesting and worth visiting even for people who aren’t Christian/Catholic. The Oratory isn’t one of them. It’s a devotional site. While the Basilica looks traditional on the outside, the interior is a type of religious brutalism; cold, angular, and sterile. The property on the whole is dated, with leaky, faded lobby and cafeteria areas leading into the basilica. A huge ongoing construction project is unsightly but will hopefully improve the aesthetics once complete. Setting these issues aside, it is a very spiritual place. In addition to the Basilica, there is a crypt with shrine to St Joseph and thousands of votive candles and crypt church, a museum, and an overlook of suburban Montreal (not very impressive). I especially enjoyed a stations of the cross walk through the garden with monumental sculptures at each station, culminating in a resurrection fountain.
    Visited July 2023
    Travelled solo
    Written July 2, 2023
  • Juanita W
    112 contributions
    Something to see
    Really interesting architecture. The exterior looks almost medieval and the interior has some art deco elements. We were challenged to find our way between the rooms in the building. Limited bathroom facilities. Very little information about the building itself was available.
    Visited July 2023
    Travelled with family
    Written July 3, 2023
  • emmafox0998
    Madrid, Spain1 contribution
    Beautiful experience
    Beautiful experience while visiting the oratory, a very special place. The views of the city are stunning and so is the garden which is important to advise you’ll have to walk up to admire. A lot of details that will take your breath away
    Visited July 2023
    Travelled solo
    Written July 3, 2023
  • mmgsc100
    Lakeland, Florida82 contributions
    1970's artwork
    I should have done more research before we visited - it is still lovely and we still would have come to see it, but having been built in 1904 I was expecting a more traditional experience. It appears it was renovated in the 1970's with a lot more "modern" carvings, statuary, and stained glass. The Crypt Church in the lower level was more what we were hoping for. Again, a beautiful building - highest in Montreal, but just not the traditional beauty we were expecting. We didn't even take many photos inside.
    Visited June 2023
    Travelled as a couple
    Written July 3, 2023
  • Ashley J
    Dallas, Texas49 contributions
    Construction and asking for money
    We were really looking forward to coming here and entering up the grand staircase that is mentioned in others’ reviews. However, when the shuttlebus brought us up from the parking lot, we were dropped at the back of the building, and it was a comparatively underwhelming entrance. You walk down some hallways that feel like an old sports arena and pass drink machines and bathrooms before getting into the main part of the church. A, I going to the rodeo or an important church? The parts covered by other reviews already do justice to the magnitude and impressiveness of the religious aspects. The architecture is absolutely amazing and it’s a very solemn place. I imagine for devout person or a person searching for answers, it is a very special experience. Speaking as a non-religious person, I felt like there were a lot of attempts to collect money whether through multiple gift shops or the gawdy “swipe to pay” card readers for lighting a votive or saying a prayer etc. It massively cheapened the experience. Even the map guides cost 3 dollars. We never met anyone from the church or were greeted or anything like that - it was a completely independent self-guided tour, which in some ways was nice. Highlights include scenic overlook of the city, crypt level, and votive hall.
    Visited July 2023
    Travelled as a couple
    Written July 17, 2023
These reviews are the subjective opinion of Tripadvisor members and not of TripAdvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews order informed by descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as cleanliness, atmosphere, general tips and location information.
Popular mentions

4.5
5,374 reviews
Excellent
3,379
Very good
1,552
Average
353
Poor
60
Terrible
30

wibu
sf58 contributions
Nov. 2023 • Couples
view is better from Kondiaronk Belvedere.
visit if you are a devout catholic.
as a tourist attraction it's not that interesting.
Written November 16, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

pramod J
Toronto, Canada169 contributions
Aug. 2023 • Friends
The view inside and out are good. I dont have much to say as we visited Notre-Dame Basilica and it was awesome. but if you visit this one before Notre-Dame, then you may appreciate this one...!
Written October 19, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

SonnySY
Vancouver, Canada17 contributions
Sep. 2023 • Couples
Beautiful solemn place not to be missed while in Montreal. There at least 5 floors to explore inside the premises plus breathtaking view outside the oratory. Lots of people hang out to view the fantastic sunset
Written October 9, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Lionel
1 contribution
Oct. 2023 • Solo
Super aggressive parking lot attendants. They ask you to glue cars to maximize parking space... was told parishioners who attend are hated by them. Thank you, very welcoming!
Written October 9, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

AndyBaha
45 contributions
Oct. 2023 • Couples
We walked to here from Mont Royal. It is a long trek made a bit longer by the building works. But so glad we made the effort. The whole site is very impressive. The Basilica is a complete contrast to Notre Dame in that it has a modern feel, but scale of building leaves a lasting impression. The other parts of the building were interesting as well
Written October 7, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Karen B
Alberta Beach, Canada2 contributions
Oct. 2023 • Friends
Beautiful. Too bad the construction was there

Sunset is excellent time to visit. Path and view at fountain was awesome
Written October 6, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Citytour2011
North Vancouver, Canada169 contributions
Sep. 2023 • Couples
The Oratory is under construction. The stairs up are not available. We took the bus up from the parking lot and walked down. The inside is a modern cathedral. The view is expansive. In our opinion the view from Mount Royal is more interesting.
Written October 2, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

domanib
Vancouver Island, Canada3 contributions
Sep. 2023 • Family
Totally worth a visit - stunning architecture and religious history. Also stunning views of the city from up here !
Written October 2, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Dahtorq
Torquay, United Kingdom173 contributions
Sep. 2023 • Solo
Ignore the building works… it will be beautiful again . Awesome inside, a serene, beautiful place which is well worth a visit
Written September 28, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

TAMAN1951
Liberty Lake, WA6,465 contributions
Sep. 2023 • Couples
Largest church in Canada.

Great views of the city.

Elevators/escalators make visiting multiple floors easy.

Well worth the effort to visit.

Limited parking.
Written September 26, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Showing results 1-10 of 3,432
Is this your Tripadvisor listing?
Own or manage this property? Claim your listing for free to respond to reviews, update your profile and much more.
Claim your listing

SAINT JOSEPH'S ORATORY OF MOUNT ROYAL - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (with Photos)

Frequently Asked Questions about Saint Joseph's Oratory of Mount Royal

According to Tripadvisor travellers, these are the best ways to experience Saint Joseph's Oratory of Mount Royal:


Restaurants near Saint Joseph's Oratory of Mount Royal: View all restaurants near Saint Joseph's Oratory of Mount Royal on Tripadvisor