Saint Joseph's Oratory is situated on Mount Royal and is the highest point in Montreal.The first chapel was erected on the site by Brother Andre in 1904 and was dedicated to Saint Joseph. It attracted many worshipers, and his chapel and his miraculous healing became known all over the world. It has become a sanctuary for people seeking spiritual renewal, who are interested in the architecture and want to enjoy the spectacular views.
The Basilica was built in the Italian renaissance style in granite with towering Corinthian columns. Although construction began in 1924 it wasn't completed until after Brother André's death in 1937. The copper dome is 155m high and the highly decorated Chapel of the Blessed Sacrament has green marble columns and a gold leaf ceiling. Eminent religious figures have visited the Basilica including Pope John Paul II, Mother Teresa and the Dalai Lama. There are a series of stained glass windows depicting events in Canadian history which were offered Saint Joseph's protection. These include the typhoid epidemic that threatened Boytown (Ottawa) and the withdrawal of Admiral Phipps following the siege of Quebec in 1690. The Crypt Church below the Basilica has eight stained glass windows featuring episodes of the life Saint Joseph.
Brother André was 91 when he died and his tomb is situated in a memorial Votive Chapel. There are open registers here for pilgrim's signatures supporting his canonization. In keeping with a custom dating to medieval France, Brother Andre's heart is preserved in a reliquary at the Oratory where there is also museum displaying scenes of Brother André's life.
