Montreal Olympic Park
Bound by Rue Sherbrooke to the west, Rue Viau to the north, Avenue Pierre de Coubertin to the east, and Boulevard Pie-IX to the south, Montreal Olympic Park is home to the many venues from the 1976 Olympic Games. Structures in the park include the Olympic Stadium, the Biodome, the Olympic Village, Maurice Richard Arena, the Pierre Charbonneau Centre, Saputo Stadium and Famous Players' Starcité theater.
Montreal Tower Observatory
Looming over the Olympic Park is the Montreal Tower Observatory, the largest inclined tower in the world. Originally built by French architect Roger Taillibert for the 1976 Olympics, today the tower is the preferred arena for major sporting events, concerts, large gatherings and regularly takes visitors to the top of the tower for breathtaking views of Montreal. Take a two-minute ride in a glass funicular to the top of the Montreal Tower Observatory. At 575 feet above ground, views from the tower are as unique as they are exceptional. From the Montreal Tower Observatory you’ll not only see many of the venues from the 1976 Olympic Games, but on a clear day, as far as the Laurentian Mountains.
Montreal Biodome
Also located in Montreal’s Olympic Park is the Montreal Biodome. Originally constructed as a velodrome for track cycling and judo events for the 1976 Olympic Games, the Montreal Biodome has since been transformed into an oasis, recreating some of the most beautiful ecosystems of the Americas. Walk through the replicas of different ecosystems including: a lush and humid Tropical Rain Forest, the Laurentian Maple Forest that changes with the seasons, the Gulf of St. Lawrence and the subpolar regions of the Americas: Labrador Coast and the Sub-Antarctic Islands. As you make your way through the ecosystems don’t forget to look for wildlife. New world parrots and two-toed sloths can be seen in the Tropical Rain Forest, beavers and lynx in the Laurentian Forest, hundreds of brightly-colored fish in the Gulf of St. Lawrence and different species of penguins in the subpolar regions.
Montreal Olympic Park is home to two gift shops, one at the foot of the Montreal Tower Observatory in the Tourist Hall and the other at the top of the observatory. From stuffed animals to maple leaves, take home a variety of products that illustrate Quebec and Canadian themes. It is important to note that while the Gift Shop in the Tourist Hall is open year round, the Gift Shop at the top of the Montreal Tower Observatory is only open during the peak tourist season.