Place des Arts

Place des Arts, the cultural heart of Montreal

The Montreal audio-guided tour takes you to Place des Arts, in the heart of the Quartier des spectacles. Devoted to the performing arts, it is the largest cultural and artistic complex in Canada.

A project of Mayor Jean Drapeau

The square was created on the initiative of Montreal mayor Jean Drapeau, from 1955, to provide the city with modern, international-standard facilities. With its six halls for performances, rehearsals and costume workshops, it established itself as a major cultural hub. The Wilfrid-Pelletier hall, a vast rotunda built in 1963, bears the name of the great Quebec conductor and remains the largest multipurpose hall in the country, with about three thousand seats.

What there is to see

Place des Arts hosts concerts, operas, ballets and major festivals, including the Montreal International Jazz Festival. Its esplanade, lively all year round, is a gathering place in the heart of the Quartier des spectacles. It is one of the great showcases of Quebec cultural life.

Practical information

Place des Arts is in the heart of the Quartier des spectacles, in downtown Montreal. The esplanade is freely accessible at all hours and on the level; the performances in the halls follow their own programme, with their own reception hours.

When was Place des Arts created?

It was created from 1955 on the initiative of Mayor Jean Drapeau. The Wilfrid-Pelletier hall, its main rotunda, was built in 1963.

What is Place des Arts?

It is the largest cultural and artistic complex in Canada, with six halls devoted to the performing arts, in the heart of Montreal's Quartier des spectacles.