Montreal City Hall, A Fusion of Baroque and Modernity

4.2

Introduction

Montreal City Hall, located north of Jacques-Cartier Square in Old Montreal, was originally built in 1878 by designers Henri-Maurice Perrault and Alexander Cowper Hutchison in the "Second Empire Style," a mix of Baroque and French elements developed from 17th-century Renaissance style. However, in 1922, the building suffered a major fire and most of it was destroyed. Architect Louis Parant was commissioned to rebuild it, using advanced steel structural design and the architectural style of the City Hall in Tours, France as a blueprint. At the same time, he added new decorative elements in the popular Art Nouveau style and changed the roof to copper. After this transformation, the City Hall was renewed and more suited to the needs of the time. In 1984, the building was listed as a Canadian iconic historic site due to its rich architectural history and regional cultural characteristics.