Notre-Dame Basilica
Interiors
Client: Fabrique Notre-Dame de Montréal
Location: 110, Notre-Dame West, Montreal
Planned year of completion: 2029
Team: DFS
Photo credits: DFS, iSCAN
Notre-Dame Basilica, completed in 1829, originally featured austere, monochrome décor designed by Angelo Pienovi. In 1872, a more lavish and richly coloured décor was introduced at the instigation of parish priest Benjamin Rousselot and architect Victor Bourgeau, inspired by the Sainte-Chapelle in Paris. These designs and motifs were repainted in the 1960s following structural work. Due to their deterioration over the decades since, extensive restoration is required, with the aim of completing the work in time for the basilica’s 200th anniversary in 2029.
DFS has been commissioned to manage the project and implement a five-phase strategic plan. Archival research and high-definition orthophotographs have been produced to guide the interventions. Environmental monitoring and on-site investigations are underway, while the conservation plan and intervention concept have been finalized. Restoration work will begin in 2026, drawing on DFS’s expertise gained on major projects such as the onoing work on Centre Block on Parliament Hill and the Gerard D. Levesque Building in Quebec City.
Client: Fabrique Notre-Dame de Montréal
Location: 110, Notre-Dame West, Montreal
Planned year of completion: 2029
Team: DFS
Photo credits: DFS, iSCAN
Notre-Dame Basilica, completed in 1829, originally featured austere, monochrome décor designed by Angelo Pienovi. In 1872, a more lavish and richly coloured décor was introduced at the instigation of parish priest Benjamin Rousselot and architect Victor Bourgeau, inspired by the Sainte-Chapelle in Paris. These designs and motifs were repainted in the 1960s following structural work. Due to their deterioration over the decades since, extensive restoration is required, with the aim of completing the work in time for the basilica’s 200th anniversary in 2029.
DFS has been commissioned to manage the project and implement a five-phase strategic plan. Archival research and high-definition orthophotographs have been produced to guide the interventions. Environmental monitoring and on-site investigations are underway, while the conservation plan and intervention concept have been finalized. Restoration work will begin in 2026, drawing on DFS’s expertise gained on major projects such as the onoing work on Centre Block on Parliament Hill and the Gerard D. Levesque Building in Quebec City.
Initial investigations highlighted the complexity and fragility of the polychrome decorations. In particular, they have revealed the presence of older underlying layers of paint, providing a better understanding of how the decor has evolved and offering some truly unexpected discoveries.
Guided by the principle of minimal intervention, our approach aims to preserve and consolidate the existing layers of paint. Contemporary interventions will be deliberately visible, while maintaining visual harmony with the original surfaces.
