Gate of Chinatown (South Paifang)

The Chinatown Gate stands at the intersection of Saint-Laurent Boulevard and René-Lévesque Boulevard. It features four massive stone pillars topped by traditional tiled roofs, painted in bright reds, greens, and yellows. This structure, a gift from the city of Shanghai to Montreal, marks the entrance to the historic district. During its nineteen ninety-nine construction, workers uncovered the original foundation stones of an early nineteenth century tavern, hidden beneath the city pavement for nearly two hundred years before the gate took its place.