For more than a century, it’s been one of the first things you spot in the Montreal skyline after dark. Whether you’re driving in over a bridge, landing at the airport or just looking up from your balcony, the glowing cross on top of Mount Royal has always been there.
Until now.
Over the past few days, posts have been popping up on social media from Montrealers noticing that something looks a little off about the mountain. And they’re not imagining it. The 30-metre cross has been removed from the summit.
But before anyone starts writing a eulogy, it’s not gone for good.
Why the Mount Royal cross was taken down
The cross has been taken down for what the City of Montreal is calling a rejuvenation, with work aimed at strengthening its structure and replacing its electrical system.
The cross first went dark at the end of September, weeks before it disappeared from the skyline entirely.
According to the city, the goal is to make sure the landmark lasts, while preserving and enhancing what it calls a “symbolic feature of our metropolis.” That includes replacing steel parts to bring the structure up to current building codes and making it more resistant to extreme weather. The city also says the current lighting system contains obsolete components that need to be replaced.
What’s changing
The cross is just one part of a major renovation project of the city’s most popular park. But when it does return, it’ll look a little different than you remember.
Crews are modernizing its lighting system and installing white LED bulbs inspired by the ones used when the cross was first lit up in 1924. The new lighting is also meant to cut down on light pollution around the summit.
The structure is being repainted too, and the area around it will get new plants and a general sprucing up.
When will it be back?
You’ll be waiting a while.
According to the city, the work started in September 2026 and is expected to wrap up in spring 2028. The city says the cross should be lit again in the fall of 2027, but it will likely be back on the mountain in the coming months.
Either way, the summit is going to look a little emptier than usual for the next year or so.
A long history on the mountain
The cross has deep roots in Montreal’s history. Its origins date back to 1643, when Paul de Chomedey de Maisonneuve, the city’s founder, placed a wooden cross on the mountain to give thanks after the young settlement was spared from a flood.
The current steel cross has stood at the summit since 1924, and has become one of the city’s most recognizable landmarks.
If you’re heading up the mountain, the work is taking place at the summit, in the area of the loop.
You can find more details about the project on the City of Montreal’s website.