We hope you are enjoying your summer! This month we bring you back to an article from July 2019 on the beautiful Little Italy Montreal. Please remember to share those Festivals with us so we can advertise in our local section.
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Una delle più grandi ondate migratorie italiane verso il Canada, quella del 1950-60, ha dato vita alla Petite Italie di Montréal, ancora oggi una piccola isola tricolore a predominanza Meridionale. Qui, ad ogni angolo di strada, la nostra comunità storica si sente e si vede ancora riflessa nelle tante attività commerciali e non, che sono riuscite a fiorire nel corso degli anni con tantissimo lavoro e ferma determinazione: dal Mercato di Jean Talon, che ospita bancarelle e negozietti, al supermercato Fruiterie Milano; dal Caffé Italia, uno dei ritrovi per antonomasia dei montrealesi-italiani, a Casa d’Italia, il centro culturale costruito nel 1936 con il preciso intento di preservare l’eredità e la memoria collettiva di una comunità che inevitabilmente si sta affievolendo con il passare degli anni, come ricorda il misto di dialetto, italiano, francese ed inglese che si sente passeggiando per le vie della Little Italy.
We are headed back across the border in this month’s Little Italy feature. With the second-largest Italian population in Canada (behind Toronto), Montreal, Quebec’s Little Italy is a neighborhood full of history, food, espresso, and, well, Italians!
Quebec’s Italian presence dates to the 19th century when Italians served in the Carignan-Salières Regiment. Most of the temporary immigrants during this time worked in mines, railways and lumber camps. In the early 20th century, permanent immigrants emerged working in construction and railway maintenance. As the number increased, these immigrants began to build their own churches and institutions, most notably the Church of Madonna della Difesa. The largest wave of Italian immigrants arrived with the end of WWII, most landing in the Port of Montreal and eventually settling around the Jean Taylor Market, a farmer’s market opened in 1933, and the Church of Madonna della Difesa, giving birth to Montreal’s Little Italy.
The heart of Montreal’s Little Italy is the Church of Madonna della Difesa, a large, gorgeous piece of architecture built in 1919. The church features the rare fresco of Pius IX and Mussolini next to each other. Built by immigrants from Molise to commemorate the apparition of the Madonna in La Difesa, Casacalenda, Molise, the church was designed by Roch Montbriant and Canadian artist Guido Nincheri who also painted many of the church’s famous frescoes.
Today, Little Italy Montreal lures lovers of all things Italian with its pizza, high quality cheeses and breads, espresso, wine, and more. With fine Italian dining, beautiful parks, Italian Canadian-owned shops, and of course the beautiful church, this area of Montreal offers visitors a great taste of Italia. Little Italy of Montreal – where French meets Italian!
Photos courtesy of localfoodtours.com.
