St. Patrick’s Basilica was our next stop in Montréal. It was just a few blocks of walking farther northeast from The Ring. The food court underneath The Ring came in very handy. Our travels have taught us not to ignore chances of resting, nourishment, and taking care of personal needs. As a constant reminder, “Take it when you can and not when you want”. Comfort contributes a lot to a memorable travel experience.

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It was interesting to know that building St. Patrick’s basilica was to accommodate the growing number of migrant Irish Catholics. Construction started in 1843 with the first mass celebrated in 1847. Its Gothic design is quite similar to St. Patrick’s cathedral in Dublin, Ireland. The basilica holds a title of a Roman Catholic Minor Basilica and also a National Historic site of Canada.

The tall pointed arches and intricate stone carvings were visible from a distance. Its edifice was difficult to appreciate because the structure was crowded by the surrounding buildings. It was when we went in that we were able to appreciate the cruciform layout, the long nave with side aisles, the ribbed vaults, the choir loft, and the flying buttresses. It was magnificent!

Our timing was never better when we went to St. Patrick’s Basilica. There was no service at the moment and there were very few people inside the basilica. We experienced a very quiet and solemn ambiance as we were browsing through every corner of the place. The moment did not last very long as we had to move on to our next walking sight.