Mount Royal's 30-metre cross is coming down for major rebuild
The steel structure will be removed, rebuilt to modern building codes, and fitted with LED lighting inspired by its 1924 original before returning in coming months.
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Montreal's Mount Royal cross — the 30-metre steel structure that has anchored the city's skyline since 1924 — is being taken down for a complete rejuvenation.
The City of Montreal removed the cross weeks after it went dark at the end of September. The project involves replacing corroded steel parts, bringing the structure up to current building codes, and making it resistant to extreme weather. The electrical system, which contains obsolete components, is also being replaced with white LED bulbs designed to match the lighting used when the cross was first illuminated in 1924. The new design is intended to cut down on light pollution around the summit.
The cross is one part of a broader renovation of Mount Royal park, one of the city's most popular destinations. Structural work, repainting, and new plantings around the cross area are all underway. The full project began in September 2026 and is expected to wrap by spring 2028.
The cross is expected to be lit again in fall 2027 and to return to the mountain in the coming months. The wooden cross originally placed on the mountain in 1643 by city founder Paul de Chomedey de Maisonneuve was meant as an act of thanksgiving after the young settlement was spared from a flood.
The facts
How tall is the Mount Royal cross?
The cross stands 30 metres tall.
When was the current steel cross first installed?
The steel structure has anchored Montreal's skyline since 1924.
What improvements are being made to the cross?
The project replaces corroded steel parts, updates the structure to current building codes, makes it resistant to extreme weather, and replaces the electrical system with white LED bulbs matching the 1924 original design to reduce light pollution.
When is the Mount Royal cross expected to return to the mountain?
The cross is expected to return in the coming months and be lit again in fall 2027.
