Ottawa has many beautiful places of worship, representing many faiths and denominations. Unquestionably, the most splendid of all is the Roman Catholic Cathedral-Basilica of our Lady (Notre Dame).

Construction of this stone church began in 1841 near the Byward Market on the site of an earlier small wooden church. This was the start of an enormous undertaking that has been evolving ever since. "Bytown" had only a small population at that time and the parishioners were only able to begin work on what would eventually become a great edifice. The initial work continued for 24 years and, although it was far from completed inside, the church was designated a cathedral in 1847, and elevated to basilica status in 1879.

Work has proceeded gradually, done mostly by distinguished Canadian artisans, with occasional foreign help. Casavant installed the first organ in 1850, and eight years later the church's 180 ft (55m) twin spires were added. In 1862 the present sanctuary was built, and work began on the high altar, the retable behind it, and appropriate adornments. In 1865 a statue of Mary and Jesus was placed between the spires. The next decade produced the balconies, columns, and vaulted ceiling. Stained glass windows -- including the spectacular one behind the organ loft -- were added by a British master craftsman. In the 1880s the main altar and the Immaculate Conception side altar were finished. By the time the cathedral was a century old, the sacristy had been built (1933) and electricity installed throughout.

Between 1956 and 1961, seventeen of the original geometric stained glass windows were replaced by artistic-didactic ones, portraying the mysteries of Christ's and of the Virgin's lives. They were done by Montrealer Guido Nincheri, one of the 20th century's foremost stained glass artists. The church has two of Maison Casavant's finest pipe organs, the larger one in the organ loft at the rear of the church, and a smaller one above the sanctuary. Together they have 68 stops and some 4,000 pipes.

By the end of the 20th century, it became obvious that serious renovations would have to be undertaken. Major structural repairs were needed, particularly to the roof and the steeples, and the interior was starting to look shabby. It was decided to restore the church to its former resplendent glory inside and out, at a cost of some $10 million. This was an enormous undertaking: the repairing and recovering of the steeples alone took 18 person-years of labour over a two-year period. Some visitors may find the refurbished interior too ornate for their taste, but the overall result should endure at least another century.

The historical information was obtained from official church publications. The photos are mine, but they only give a brief glimpse of the many treasures to be found in this magnificent place of worship.