List of tallest buildings in Montreal
Encyclopedia
This is a list of the tallest buildings in Montreal ranks skyscrapers in the Canadian
city of Montreal
, Quebec
by height. There are 21 buildings and structures in Montreal greater than 122 m (400 ft). The tallest building in the city is the 51-storey and 205 m (673 ft) tall 1000 de La Gauchetière
.
Municipal regulations forbid any building from exceeding the height of Mount Royal
, or 233 m (764 ft) above mean sea level
. Above-ground height is further limited in most areas and very few downtown land plots are allowed to exceed 120 metres in height. The maximum limit is currently attained by 1000 de La Gauchetière
and 1250 René-Lévesque
, the latter of which is shorter, but built on higher ground. The only way to build higher than that while respecting this limit would be to build on the lowest part of downtown near Tour de la Bourse; the maximum height there would be approximately 210 metres.
The history of skyscrapers in Montreal began with the completion of the 8-storey tall New York Life Insurance Building in 1888. Most high-rise construction in Montreal occurred in two periods: the late 1920s to the early 1930s and later on the early 1960s through to the early 1990s. The two tallest buildings currently under construction in Montreal are the 33-storey Altitude Montréal
, which will measure 124m (407 ft) and the 40-storey Marriott hotel skyscraper, which will measure 136m (446 ft) in height; they will both be the tallest residential towers in the city once completed. Cadillac Fairview currently has the tallest proposal in the city, located at the Bell Centre as a 61-storey tower, measuring 197 metres in height, making it the tallest proposal since 1992.
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
city of Montreal
Montreal
Montreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
, Quebec
Quebec
Quebec or is a province in east-central Canada. It is the only Canadian province with a predominantly French-speaking population and the only one whose sole official language is French at the provincial level....
by height. There are 21 buildings and structures in Montreal greater than 122 m (400 ft). The tallest building in the city is the 51-storey and 205 m (673 ft) tall 1000 de La Gauchetière
1000 de La Gauchetière
1000 de la Gauchetière is a skyscraper in the Canadian city of Montreal and is the tallest building in Montreal. It is named for its address at 1000 De la Gauchetière Street West in the city's downtown. It rises to the maximum height approved by the city at 205 m and 51 floors...
.
Municipal regulations forbid any building from exceeding the height of Mount Royal
Mount Royal
Mount Royal is a mountain in the city of Montreal, immediately west of downtown Montreal, Quebec, Canada, the city to which it gave its name.The mountain is part of the Monteregian Hills situated between the Laurentians and the Appalachians...
, or 233 m (764 ft) above mean sea level
Above mean sea level
The term above mean sea level refers to the elevation or altitude of any object, relative to the average sea level datum. AMSL is used extensively in radio by engineers to determine the coverage area a station will be able to reach...
. Above-ground height is further limited in most areas and very few downtown land plots are allowed to exceed 120 metres in height. The maximum limit is currently attained by 1000 de La Gauchetière
1000 de La Gauchetière
1000 de la Gauchetière is a skyscraper in the Canadian city of Montreal and is the tallest building in Montreal. It is named for its address at 1000 De la Gauchetière Street West in the city's downtown. It rises to the maximum height approved by the city at 205 m and 51 floors...
and 1250 René-Lévesque
1250 René-Lévesque
1250 Boulevard René-Lévesque, also known as La Tour IBM-Marathon, is a , 47-story skyscraper in Montreal, Quebec, Canada.The building was designed by Kohn Pedersen Fox Associates for IBM Canada and Marathon Realty, hence the former name "IBM-Marathon." It is now named for its address at 1250 René...
, the latter of which is shorter, but built on higher ground. The only way to build higher than that while respecting this limit would be to build on the lowest part of downtown near Tour de la Bourse; the maximum height there would be approximately 210 metres.
The history of skyscrapers in Montreal began with the completion of the 8-storey tall New York Life Insurance Building in 1888. Most high-rise construction in Montreal occurred in two periods: the late 1920s to the early 1930s and later on the early 1960s through to the early 1990s. The two tallest buildings currently under construction in Montreal are the 33-storey Altitude Montréal
Altitude Montréal
Altitude Montréal is a skyscraper, currently under construction in Montreal, Quebec. It will rise to a height of 124m on 33 floors and will be the city's tallest residential tower when completed.-Construction:...
, which will measure 124m (407 ft) and the 40-storey Marriott hotel skyscraper, which will measure 136m (446 ft) in height; they will both be the tallest residential towers in the city once completed. Cadillac Fairview currently has the tallest proposal in the city, located at the Bell Centre as a 61-storey tower, measuring 197 metres in height, making it the tallest proposal since 1992.
Tallest buildings
This list ranks Montreal skyscrapers that stand at least 122 metres (400 ft) tall, based on standard height measurement. This includes architectural details but does not include antenna masts and spires. An equal sign (=) following a rank indicates the same height between two or more buildings. The "Year" column indicates the year in which a building was completed.Rank | Name | Image | Height |
Floors | Year | Notes |
1 | 1000 de La Gauchetière 1000 de La Gauchetière 1000 de la Gauchetière is a skyscraper in the Canadian city of Montreal and is the tallest building in Montreal. It is named for its address at 1000 De la Gauchetière Street West in the city's downtown. It rises to the maximum height approved by the city at 205 m and 51 floors... |
205 (673) | 51 | 1992 | The tallest building in Canada Canada Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean... east of Toronto Toronto Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from... . The tallest building constructed in Montreal in the 1990s. Rises the maximum height allowed by the city. |
|
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2 | 1250 René-Lévesque 1250 René-Lévesque 1250 Boulevard René-Lévesque, also known as La Tour IBM-Marathon, is a , 47-story skyscraper in Montreal, Quebec, Canada.The building was designed by Kohn Pedersen Fox Associates for IBM Canada and Marathon Realty, hence the former name "IBM-Marathon." It is now named for its address at 1250 René... |
199 (653) | 47 | 1992 | Originally known as the IBM-Marathon Tower, this building is the fifth tallest in Canada when its spire Spire A spire is a tapering conical or pyramidal structure on the top of a building, particularly a church tower. Etymologically, the word is derived from the Old English word spir, meaning a sprout, shoot, or stalk of grass.... is taken into account, at 226 m (743 ft) tall. |
|
3 | Tour de la Bourse Tour de la Bourse La tour de la Bourse is an International Style skyscraper by Luigi Moretti and Pier Luigi Nervi at 800 Victoria Square in Montreal, Quebec, connected by the underground city to Square-Victoria Metro Station... |
190 (623) | 47 | 1964 | The tallest building in Canada until completion of the Toronto-Dominion Bank Tower Toronto-Dominion Centre The Toronto-Dominion Centre, or Centre, is a cluster of buildings in downtown Toronto, Ontario, Canada, consisting of six towers and a pavilion covered in bronze-tinted glass and black painted steel. It serves as the global headquarters of the Toronto-Dominion Bank, as well as providing office and... in Toronto. The tallest reinforced concrete building in the world until the completion of Lake Point Tower Lake Point Tower Lake Point Tower is a high-rise residential building located on a promontory of the Lake Michigan lakefront in downtown Chicago, just north of the Chicago River at 505 North Lake Shore Drive. It is located in the Streeterville neighborhood of the Near North Side community area... in Chicago Chicago Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles... . The tallest building constructed in Montreal in the 1960s. |
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4 | 1 Place Ville-Marie Place Ville-Marie 1 Place Ville-Marie , formerly Royal Bank Tower taken from its anchor tenant, is a with 47-storey, cruciform office tower built in the International style in 1962, arguably the most distinctive building in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. It was built in the 1960s as the headquarters of the Royal Bank of... |
188 (617) | 47 | 1962 | The tallest building in Canada until completion of the Tour de la Bourse. | |
5 | Tour CIBC Tour CIBC La Tour CIBC is a forty-five-storey skyscraper in Montreal, Quebec. With the communications antenna on the roof, the total height is . The International Style office tower was built by Peter Dickinson, Ross, Fish, Duschenes and Barrett and was the city's tallest building from 1962 to 1963... |
187 (613) | 45 | 1962 | With its antenna Antenna (radio) An antenna is an electrical device which converts electric currents into radio waves, and vice versa. It is usually used with a radio transmitter or radio receiver... included it measures 250 m (820 ft). The tallest building in Canada and the whole British Commonwealth when completed in 1962. Surpassed within a year by Place Ville-Marie. |
|
Tour de Montréal Olympic Stadium (Montreal) The Olympic Stadium is a multi-purpose stadium in the Hochelaga-Maisonneuve district of Montreal, Quebec, Canada built as the main venue for the 1976 Summer Olympics... |
175 (574) | 20 | 1987 | The Tour de Montréal is the tallest inclined tower in the world.The Tour de Montréal is not a habitable building, but is included in this list for comparative purposes. Per a ruling by the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat The Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat is an international body in the field of tall buildings and sustainable urban design... , freestanding observation towers are not considered to be buildings, as they are not fully habitable structures. |
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6 | 1501 McGill College 1501 McGill College Le 1501 McGill College, also known as La Tour McGill, is a , 36 story skyscraper in Downtown Montreal. Named for its address at 1501, McGill College Avenue, it was completed in 1992 at the same time as the city's two tallest, 1000 de La Gauchetière and 1250 René-Lévesque... |
158 (519) | 36 | 1992 | ||
7 | Complexe Desjardins Complexe Desjardins Complexe Desjardins is a mixed-use office, hotel, and shopping mall complex located in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. The project was designed to develop the eastern end of downtown Montreal, it is located in the quadrilateral formed by Saint Catherine, Saint-Urbain, and Jeanne Mance streets, and René... South Tower |
152 (499) | 40 | 1976 | The tallest building constructed in Montreal in the 1970s. | |
8 | Tour KPMG Tour KPMG The Tour KPMG, formerly Maison des Coopérants or Place de la Cathédrale, is a 34 storey skyscraper located in downtown Montreal that was completed in 1987. It is located at 600 de Maisonneuve Ouest. It has an official height of 146 m... |
146 (479) | 34 | 1987 | Originally known as Maison des Coopérants and later as Place de la Cathédrale. The tallest building constructed in Montreal in the 1980s. | |
9 | Marriott Château Champlain | 139 (454) | 40 | 1967 | Tallest hotel in Montreal. | |
10 | Tour Telus Tour Telus Tour Telus is an office building at 630 René Lévesque Boulevard West in Montreal. It was built for Canadian Industries Limited from 1960 to 1962, given the name CIL House. Designed by architect Gordon Bunshaft from the architectural firm Skidmore, Owings and Merrill with local architects... |
136 (445) | 34 | 1962 | Originally known as CIL House. | |
11 | Maison Astral Maison Astral Maison Astral is an office building in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Located at 1800 McGill College Avenue, it was built for the Montreal Trust Company, and shared the name Place Montreal Trust with the adjoining mall. It stands 134 m and 34 storeys tall. It was originally owned by Cadillac Fairview... |
134 (440) | 34 | 1988 | Originally known as Place Montreal Trust. | |
12 | 500 Place D'Armes 500 Place D'Armes 500 Place d'Armes is an International style building on the historic Place d'Armes square in Old Montreal quarter of Montreal, Quebec, Canada.... |
133 (435) | 32 | 1968 | Originally known as Tour Banque Canadienne Nationale. | |
13 | Complexe Desjardins Complexe Desjardins Complexe Desjardins is a mixed-use office, hotel, and shopping mall complex located in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. The project was designed to develop the eastern end of downtown Montreal, it is located in the quadrilateral formed by Saint Catherine, Saint-Urbain, and Jeanne Mance streets, and René... East Tower |
130 (427) | 32 | 1976 | ||
14= | Tour Scotia Tour Scotia Tour Scotia is a skyscraper in downtown Montreal, Quebec, Canada. It is 27 stories, and tall. It was designed by WZMH Architects and constructed in 1990. It was built in the postmodern architectural style, with granite and glass facades... |
128 (420) | 29 | 1990 | ||
14= | Tour de la Banque Nationale Tour de la Banque Nationale Tour de la Banque Nationale is a skyscraper in downtown Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Tour de la Banque Nationale and its twin tower, Tour Bell, are known as Complexe Maisonneuve, and the two towers share an underground base six floors deep. It is 28 stories, and tall. It was designed by American... |
128 (420) | 28 | 1983 | Le Tour de la Banque Nationale and 700 de la Gauchetière are the tallest twin towers in Montreal. | |
14= | 700 de La Gauchetière | 128 (420) | 28 | 1983 | Le 700 de la Gauchetière and Tour de la Banque Nationale are the tallest twin towers in Montreal. Previously known as Tour Bell Canada. | |
14= | Centre Mont-Royal Centre Mont-Royal 1000 Sherbrooke West is a skyscraper in downtown Montreal, Quebec, Canada. It is 28 stories, and tall. It was designed by Rosen Caruso Vecsei Architects and completed in 1974. It was built in the modernist architectural style, with a concrete and glass facade... |
128 (420) | 28 | 1974 | ||
18 | Tour Terminal Tour Terminal Tour Terminal is a skyscraper in downtown Montreal, Quebec, Canada. It is 30 stories, and tall. Completed in 1966, it was the last phase of CN's developments in the area, along with the Queen Elizabeth Hotel, Central Station and the CN Building. It was built in the international-style... |
125 (410) | 30 | 1966 | ||
19= | Sun Life Building Sun Life Building The Sun Life Building is a historic office building on Dorchester Square in downtown Montreal, Canada.-History and construction:... |
122 (400) | 26 | 1931 | The tallest building in Montreal from 1931 until the completion of Tour CIBC in 1962. The tallest building in the city completed prior to the 1960s. | |
19= | Le Port Royal | 122 (400) | 33 | 1964 | The tallest residential building in Canada east of Toronto Toronto Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from... . Soon to be surpassed by Altitude Montreal and Marriott Courtyard Montréal Centre-ville |
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Under construction
The following is a list of buildings that are under construction in Montreal and are planned to rise at least 100 metres (328 ft).Name | Height m Metre The metre , symbol m, is the base unit of length in the International System of Units . Originally intended to be one ten-millionth of the distance from the Earth's equator to the North Pole , its definition has been periodically refined to reflect growing knowledge of metrology... / ft |
Floors | Year | Notes | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Marriott Courtyard Hotel | 136 / 446 | 40 | 2012 | When complete, it will be the tallest building constructed in Montreal since 1992. |
2 | Altoria | 130 / 427 | 35 | 2014 | Site preparation and demolition of existing buildings began May 2011. |
3 | Altitude Montréal Altitude Montréal Altitude Montréal is a skyscraper, currently under construction in Montreal, Quebec. It will rise to a height of 124m on 33 floors and will be the city's tallest residential tower when completed.-Construction:... |
124 / 407 | 33 | 2012 | Site preparation began April 2010. |
4 | Waldorf Astoria Montreal | 110 / 361 | 32 | 2014 | Site preparation began September 2011. |
5 | Évolo | 102 / 335 | 31 | 2012 | Construction began January 2011. |
Approved
The following is a list of buildings that are approved in Montreal and are planned to rise at least 100 metres (328 ft).Name | Height m Metre The metre , symbol m, is the base unit of length in the International System of Units . Originally intended to be one ten-millionth of the distance from the Earth's equator to the North Pole , its definition has been periodically refined to reflect growing knowledge of metrology... / ft |
Floors | Year | Notes | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Place de la Cité Internationale (Phase II) | 146 / 479 | 34 | New headquarters of Rio Tinto Alcan. | |
2 | Place University St-Jacques | 140 / 459 | 30 | Awaiting anchor tenant. | |
3 | 900 de Maisonneuve West | 114 / 374 | 28 | Awaiting anchor tenant. | |
Proposed
The following is a list of buildings that are proposed in Montreal and are planned to rise at least 100 metres (328 ft).Name | Height m Metre The metre , symbol m, is the base unit of length in the International System of Units . Originally intended to be one ten-millionth of the distance from the Earth's equator to the North Pole , its definition has been periodically refined to reflect growing knowledge of metrology... / ft |
Floors | Year | Notes | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Bell Centre Tower | 197 / 646 | 61 | 2014 | |
2 | Windsor Station Tower | 133 / 436 | 27 | 2014 | |
3 | 1215 Phillips Square | 125 / 410 | 30 | Stale proposal. | |
4 | Hilton Montreal | 120 / 394 | 38 | Stale proposal. |
Timeline of tallest buildings
This lists buildings that once held the title of tallest building in Montreal.Name | Street address | Years as tallest | Height |
Floors | Reference |
Notre Dame Basilica Notre-Dame Basilica (Montreal) Notre-Dame Basilica is a basilica in the historic district of Old Montreal, in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. The church is located at 110 Notre-Dame Street West, at the corner of Saint Sulpice Street... |
110 Notre-Dame Street Notre-Dame Street Notre-Dame Street is a historic east-west street located in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. It runs parallel to the Saint Lawrence River, from the eastern tip of the island to Lachine . In French, it is known as rue Notre-Dame.... West |
1829–1928 | 69 / 226 | 7 | |
Royal Bank Building Old Royal Bank Building, Montreal Tour de la Banque Royale is a skyscraper at 360 Saint-Jacques Street in Montréal, Quebec. The 22-storey neo-classical tower was designed by the firm of York and Sawyer, and was the tallest building in the British Empire, and the first building in city taller than Montréal's Notre-Dame Basilica... |
360 Saint Jacques Street Saint Jacques Street Saint Jacques Street is a major street in Montreal, Quebec, Canada.The street has had two official names: St. James Street in English after St. James's, London; and its current appellation, rue Saint-Jacques, in French. Both names are sometimes used in English, though Saint-Jacques is the most... West |
1928–1931 | 121 / 397 | 22 | |
Sun Life Building Sun Life Building The Sun Life Building is a historic office building on Dorchester Square in downtown Montreal, Canada.-History and construction:... |
1155 Metcalfe Street Metcalfe Street (Montreal) Metcalfe Street is a north-south street located in downtown Montreal, Quebec, Canada. It links Sherbrooke Street in the north and René Lévesque Boulevard in the south... |
1931–1962 | 122 / 400 | 26 | |
Tour CIBC Tour CIBC La Tour CIBC is a forty-five-storey skyscraper in Montreal, Quebec. With the communications antenna on the roof, the total height is . The International Style office tower was built by Peter Dickinson, Ross, Fish, Duschenes and Barrett and was the city's tallest building from 1962 to 1963... |
1155 René Lévesque Boulevard René Lévesque Boulevard René Lévesque Boulevard is one of the main streets in Montreal, Quebec, Canada.It is a main east-west thoroughfare passing through the downtown core in the borough of Ville-Marie. The street begins on the west at Atwater Avenue and continues until it merges with Notre Dame Street East just east... West |
1962 | 187 / 613 | 45 | |
Place Ville Marie | 1 Place Ville-Marie | 1962–1964 | 188 / 617 | 47 (originally 44) | |
Tour de la Bourse Tour de la Bourse La tour de la Bourse is an International Style skyscraper by Luigi Moretti and Pier Luigi Nervi at 800 Victoria Square in Montreal, Quebec, connected by the underground city to Square-Victoria Metro Station... |
800 Victoria Square Victoria Square, Montreal Victoria Square is a town square and public space in the Quartier International de Montréal area of downtown Montreal, Quebec, at the intersection of Beaver Hall Hill and McGill Street. The Square forms an integral component of the city's urban public transit system and constitutes a 'prestige... |
1964–1992 | 190 / 623 | 47 | |
1000 de La Gauchetière 1000 de La Gauchetière 1000 de la Gauchetière is a skyscraper in the Canadian city of Montreal and is the tallest building in Montreal. It is named for its address at 1000 De la Gauchetière Street West in the city's downtown. It rises to the maximum height approved by the city at 205 m and 51 floors... |
1000 De La Gauchetière Street De la Gauchetière Street De la Gauchetière Street is a street in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, running through downtown Montreal, the Quartier international and Chinatown.... West |
1992–present | 205 / 673 | 51 |
See also
- Architecture of Montreal
- Canadian Centre for ArchitectureCanadian Centre for ArchitectureThe Canadian Centre for Architecture is a museum of architecture and research centre in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Phyllis Lambert is the Founding Director and Chair of the Board of Trustees, and Mirko Zardini is the Director and Chief Curator....
- List of tallest buildings in Canada