More than one million people have found their final resting place here since this Catholic cemetery opened in 1854, making it the largest cemetery in Canada and the third largest in North America. It was initially inspired by the Père Lachaise Cemetery in Paris. As with other cemeteries on Mont Royal, its mountaintop position follows a Catholic belief that loftier cemeteries offer a better chance of reaching the afterlife in heaven.
The catalog of permanent guests includes 20 Montréal mayors, a number of ex-passengers from the Titanic, and Calixa Lavallée, the composer of 'O Canada.' The cemetery office has brochures for self-guided tours around the tombs but there’s also a map posted at the entrance.
