Monument-National

The Monument-National distinguishes itself with a facade of heavy grey limestone carved into ornate, rounded arches that break the vertical rhythm of Saint-Laurent Boulevard. Opened in eighteen ninety-three, it served as the headquarters for the Saint-Jean-Baptiste Society to promote French-Canadian culture. Inside, Sarah Bernhardt once performed to a packed house, though the theater later survived several close calls with demolition. It houses the National Theatre School of Canada today, where students pace the hallways where Yiddish theater troupes once practiced.