Notre-Dame Basilica unveils its facade on 25 October
Published on 10/24/2026 at 11:59 | Editorial responsibility: Rafael Müller, Editor-in-Chief AD HOC NEWSFacade unveiling and heritage work
- On 25 October 2026, the Société philharmonique du Nouveau Monde and Jean-Willy Kunz lead the musical celebration at the basilica.
- Restoration work begun in 2020 has completed the facade while other masonry and interior areas remain under repair.
- The Casavant organ has stood on the basilica’s north side since 1891 and contains 7,000 pipes.
- Notre-Dame Basilica is at 110 Notre-Dame Street West in Old Montreal.
Notre-Dame Basilica (Basilique Notre-Dame de Montréal) in Montreal will unveil its restored facade on 25 October 2026 during Rediscover Notre-Dame, a musical celebration linked to a decade of restoration work.
The event gives travellers in Canada a specific reason to visit Old Montreal during the final week of October. The facade is the visible result of one stage in a much larger programme that continues inside and across the rest of the building.
Rediscover Notre-Dame brings music to the facade
Rediscover Notre-Dame begins on 25 October 2026 at 12.30pm. More than 150 artists from the Société philharmonique du Nouveau Monde will perform with organist Jean-Willy Kunz, beginning outdoors before continuing inside the basilica, according to the event programme.
The celebration follows the removal of scaffolding from the facade after about ten years of work. The public programme makes the building’s restored exterior the first point of contact, while the musical continuation connects the newly visible stonework with the church’s established role as a concert venue.
The basilica’s operator also lists a special visitor arrangement for 25 October 2026. Notre-Dame Basilica will open at 2pm that Sunday, rather than at its usual visitor start, as stated in the visitor notice for 25 October.
Restoration continues beyond the newly visible facade
The facade unveiling does not mark the end of the restoration. The Foundation says major work began in 2020 and includes stonework, flashings, bell towers, sound structures and other architectural elements.
A current overview from the Notre-Dame restoration project describes the building as a neo-Gothic landmark in Old Montreal. It also records nearly two centuries of weathering and continuing technical work on the towers and their stones.
The restoration programme gives the October event a precise architectural meaning. Visitors will see a completed exterior section, but the blue star-studded vault, painted decoration and other interior elements remain part of the long-term conservation task. The changing boundary between finished facade and unfinished interior is therefore part of what the visit reveals.
Music and architecture meet inside the Montreal basilica
The Casavant organ provides a direct link between the building’s history and the programme on 25 October. The instrument has stood on the north side of the basilica since 1891 and contains 7,000 pipes.
That organ is not simply background equipment for the celebration. Its scale and position form part of the neo-Gothic interior that visitors encounter when the musical programme moves indoors, while the outdoor opening keeps the restored facade visible from the surrounding streets of Old Montreal.
Visiting Notre-Dame Basilica: what travellers from Western Europe should know
- Rediscover Notre-Dame takes place at Notre-Dame Basilica on 25 October 2026 from 12.30pm, with the performance beginning outdoors and continuing inside.
- The basilica has a special late opening at 2pm on 25 October 2026, according to the operator’s visitor notice.
- The venue is at 110 Notre-Dame Street West in Old Montreal, Montreal, Canada.
- The Casavant organ has 7,000 pipes, and the building’s north side has housed it since 1891.
- Restoration work affects stonework, flashings, bell towers, sound structures and interior decoration, so the completed facade is only one stage of the wider project.
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Frequently asked questions about Notre-Dame Basilica
When does Rediscover Notre-Dame take place at Notre-Dame Basilica?
Rediscover Notre-Dame takes place on 25 October 2026 from 12.30pm, beginning outdoors before continuing inside.
What has changed at Notre-Dame Basilica?
The facade has been restored after about ten years of work, while other parts of the building remain under restoration.
Where is Notre-Dame Basilica and how do you get there?
The basilica is at 110 Notre-Dame Street West in Old Montreal, Montreal, Canada.
