Saint-Louis Square


Saint Louis Square is an urban square in Montreal's Plateau Mont Royal. Its eastern edge fronts onto Saint Denis Street, a major north-south artery. Square Saint Louis Street runs along both the square's northern and southern sides, while Laval Avenue runs along its western side.
The square is located on the site of the city's former reservoir, which was in use until 1852, after which it was replaced by the McTavish reservoir following the Great Fire of 1852. The square was created in 1876 and was named for two businessmen, brothers Emmanuel Saint-Louis and Jean-Baptiste Saint-Louis.
The Project for Public Spaces has called the square "the closest thing to a European neighbourhood square you'll find this side of the Atlantic."

Structures

The square features a Victorian fountain as its centrepiece. A bust of Octave Crémazie was unveiled on June 24, 1906, designed by Louis-Philippe Hébert, near the home of Émile Nelligan, which faces the square. Nelligan himself was honoured with a bust in the square 99 years later, on June 7, 2005, designed by Roseline Granet.

Surrounding buildings

The square is also notable for the Victorian-style residences that face the park. The Union des écrivaines et des écrivains québécois is based in one such structure on Laval Street, which had been the residence of Claude Jutra.