Ottawa's Cathedral Basilica of Notre-Dame is the oldest church in the city, with the original structure dating to 1832 and the current neo-Gothic towers completed in 1890. The exterior is imposing: twin 55-metre spires in grey limestone rise above the Lowertown neighbourhood, visible from across the river. Inside, the nave is long, dark and genuinely beautiful — carved wooden canopy above the high altar, painted ceiling vaults, and a collection of 47 statues of biblical figures carved by the Chicoine workshop in the late 19th century.
The basilica was designated a minor basilica by Pope John Paul II in 1998. It remains an active parish and the main Catholic church for the city. Entry is free, services are held daily in both French and English, and the building is open to visitors outside of service hours. The contrast between this Gothic interior and the modern government buildings immediately around it is striking — Notre-Dame was here long before Confederation, and it shows.