The Montreal World Trade Centre was introduced in 1992. It’s made up of a whole city block in Old Montreal, where all the buildings have been renovated in a way that would link them all together, with a huge glass canopy covering the gaps. It creates a large atrium which is comfortable all year around. Located right next to the Palais des congès, the World Trade Centre is an indoor village, which also includes a shopping mall with more than 20 restaurants, shops and cafés. The Ruelle, which is now the main entrance to the Centre, is still a very important part of Montreal’s history. It represents the stone wall, the one which surrounded the fortified city during the 18th century. Back then, the ruelle fenced in a military centre. Farmers from the regions around the stone wall would come through the gates of the fortifications so they would be able to sell their products to the villagers. The wall surrounding the city was destroyed later on in 1804, and the destruction ended in 1812. When the World Trade Centre was built in 1992, a part of the ruelle was preserved. It now used for photography and art exhibitions, vendor kiosks in the Centre. There are also television and movie shootings, as well as private receptions, wedding ceremonies, cocktail evenings, banquets, etc. For banquet-style events, the ruelle can hold up to 350 guests, and for cocktail-style events, 800 people. The Centre today also includes other historical elements. There is the Nordheimer building, from 1888. There is a fountain designed by the French architect Dieudonné-Barthélemy Guibal (1699-1757). Lastly, there is a fragment of the Berlin Wall. |  Translate This Page |
