Thursday Doors is a weekly feature allowing door lovers to come together to admire and share their favorite door photos from around the world. Feel free to join in on the fun by creating your own Thursday Doors post each week and then sharing it, between Thursday morning and Saturday noon (North American eastern time), by using the blue link-up button below.
Musée des Beaux-Arts de Montréal
A few weekends ago we went to see the Pompeii exhibit at the Montréal Museum of Fine Arts and of course I brought along my camera on the off-chance that I might come across a few nice doors 😉
Not surprisingly, I was not disappointed.
With four main pavilions in adjoining buildings, all interconnected via underground tunnels or above ground pedestrian bridges, I discovered that the museum has a number of share-worthy doors.
The main Beaux-Arts pavillion with its marble facade and imposing portico was built between 1910 and 1912. One unique and little known fact about the thirty foot tall columns is that generally columns of this size are built in smaller sections and then assembled on-site; however, these four behemoths are actually single-piece construction.
The sixteen foot tall main doors are a little plain:
but the ironwork above each door is a work of art worthy of a world-class museum:
I found a lovely side door that I think actually has a little more character than the main doors:
And then we went across the street to the Bourgie Pavilion and concert hall.
This Pavilion which houses the Quebec and Canadian art permanent exhibits is the former Erskine and American Church built in the 1890’s.
It was acquired by the museum in 2007 and renovations, including conversion of the main space into a chamber music hall with wonderful acoustics, were completed in 2011.
The texture and colour of the stone walls reminds me of a smaller version of Toronto’s Old City Hall building.
From back in its church days, this building had the largest collection of Tiffany Stained Glass windows in Canada. The museum wisely left these intact. We’ll be going back for a concert in a few weeks so I’m going to try to capture some of them on camera.
In walking around to the side of this building another little gem was discovered:
Nothing too fancy, but sometimes I find that a door that complements its entryway works better than an ornate one that tries to stand out.
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I thank you for looking 🙂
Love the doors you discovered. Can’t wait to take part in this challenge next week 😀
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what a variety of doors. (I had to smile at your ‘addiction’ problem – nice addiction you found yourself)
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Thankfully it is one of the least harmful addictions I know of 😉
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Nice. I think its always interesting to check out the side doors of grand buildings too. I only got a chance to shoot this building in the evening when I was in Montreal a few weeks ago – but I might be back later in the year and will have to check it out in daylight if I get the chance.
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Thanks. Your shots a few weeks ago reminded my of all the gorgeous old buildings in that part of town.
If you do make it back and you’re interested in going on a doorscursion with a local, let me know and we can try to work something out.
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A really superb gallery of impressive doors, Norm. 🙂
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Thanks, glad you like it 🙂
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These wonderful doors have the architectural surroundings they deserve!
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Thanks. Glad you enjoyed them 🙂
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Hi Norm, beautiful doors you found in this Museum.
My entry this week is interesting for the color and lights:
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Thanks 🙂
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Love so much: stone walls, wooden doors and one-piece columns! Oh and the iron/metal above the door was so elegant! Great pictures and the info is an added bonus!
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Thanks Michelle 😀
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Hi Norm. Here are my Thursday doors. Quite a collection this week! https://judydykstrabrown.com/2016/05/13/on-my-way-home-thursday-doors-may-12-2016/
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Thanks Judy 🙂
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You have a knack Norm for finding interesting doors. These have *wow* factor. I agree that they are relatively modest, but their simplicity works so beautifully with the ornateness of the building they complement. I love all the wonderful little details on the Bourgie Pavilion.
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Thanks Joanne, there’s so many beautiful old building to choose from but it is fun finding them. Bourgie is a nice little hall for small orchestras and chamber music too. We’re looking forward to going back in a few weeks.
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Norm you always find such grand doors or entrances.
Here is my entry of the week.
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Thanks Cee – around here we have so many to chose from 🙂
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Wow, a nice collection of doors this week!
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Thank you 🙂
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Those doors are lovely, Norm, but I can’t take my eyes off that magnificent stonework. It’s a fabulous building.
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Thanks Jean. We’re looking forward to going back in a few weeks. They did a wonderful job on the interior too.
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You’re definitely the King of Doors Norm. I cheated again this week. But off to Colorado next week so maybe I’ll get lucky! ; )
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Planning on getting lucky in Colorado are we? Not sure we need to hear the details; this is a family friendly blog you know Jan 😉
“King of Doors”? No maybe we’ll stick with Norman the door man – and thankfully I’m not a Mormon 😛
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Oh my goodness! I loved the beauty in the Museum of Fine Arts door. The arch with details on the peak or exact center of the stone are so intricate in details! 🙂 Gorgeous examples once again, Norm! 🙂
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Thanks Robin 🙂
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These doors maybe plain to you, but if I were rich I would gladly have one of these 16 foot doors on my studio:):) Can’t even imagine how many people it would take, just to install these doors, because of their weight! The second main door is my favorite. Can’t wait how the interiorof this building looks!
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You’re right I’m not sure I’d want to be the one stuck with the job of hanging doors like that in place 🙂 Thanks!
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That’s a fine set of doors! And lovely details, too.
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Thanks – glad you liked them 🙂
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Looking forward to the windows! The modern doors on that old church are out of place, but an interesting twist.
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I agree those modern doors do seem out of place on that building.
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I knew your fifth photo was a church before I read your description. Sad these old churches have to close down and sell their property to secular organisations for lack of support and interest.
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It is kind of sad but I’d rather see it in the hands of a museum that knows and appreciates its historic and architectural significance, than in the hands of developers who just gut it to build cool looking condos.
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The first two doors are gorgeous. I want to paint them all!
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Thanks, I assume you mean a painting, on a canvas right? Because I don’t think the museum will take too kindly to you actually painting their doors 😉
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Those are some beautiful doors! That’s crazy that those columns are one piece! I’m a sucker for some gorgeous columns. I’ve been admiring classic Virginia brick homes with giant columns for years and was sure that’s what we’d get when we moved. Yet somehow I find myself in a cedar sided 80’s contemporary! -Amy
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Thanks Amy. Here’s to fancy columns 🙂
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Lovely photos and doors, Norm – I love the architecture 🙂
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Thanks Helen 🙂
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Ooh, I love the plain wooden doors. I was reading you and saying to my cat, “Are they, though? Are they plain? Look how TALL!” 🙂
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Thanks Joey. I think I’m more interested in hearing what your cat had to say in answer your questions, and most importantly whether or not you actually heard him/her speaking out loud #NotJudging #JustABitConcerned
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My cats talk a lot, actually. I prefer highly-verbal animals. They had no commentary on the doors, but they’re good listeners.
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*nods reassuringly while reaching for phone* 😀
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I should be clear, they do not speak English, French, Italian, or Spanish, but some feline language I can barely interpret beyond its urgency.
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Wonderful buildings and doors….
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Thank you Vicky 🙂
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Gorgeous buildings and doors, Norm. From a distance the red carpet up the stairs looks cool. I wonder, though, how that carpet holds up to the elements, especially in the winter.
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Thanks – glad you liked them.
Carpets like these become death-traps when there’s ice and snow on them so I’m pretty sure these get rolled up and stored away by late October. But between foot traffic and rain I can imagine they don’t hold up much more than a few seasons.
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I love the doors, Norm, but the buildings are every bit as nice.
janet, in The City of Brotherly Love for a few days
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Thanks Janet. Hey if you get the chance while you’re there, go check out Elfreth’s Alley 🙂
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Probably won’t have time this trip but I’ll put it on my list of things to do next visit. Thanks.
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Magnificent buildings. The interesting ironwork really enhances the door. I’m very basic again this week. https://memoriesaremadeofthisblog.wordpress.com/2016/05/12/thursday-doors-mountain-hut/
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Thanks – glad you liked them 🙂
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Those are some nice doors, hardware, and the red runway and matching gold tree are nice additions. Quite good looking. 🙂
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Thanks Judy – I agree, it really is an impressive facade.
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These are besutiful doors Norm. I love it when we find interesting doors at the side entrance. The arched entrances are stunning, even on the one with the simpler doors. I still marvel at the craftsmanship that built those and the thought that went into making an entrance, an experience.
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Thanks Dan. I’m having so much fun looking for and discovering wonderful doors everywhere I go. It really is an addiction.
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