Saint Joseph’s Oratory of Mount Royal began as a small chapel on the side of Mount Royal near Notre Dame College in 1904. In 1917, a larger church was built that seats around 1,000 people. This section of the church is currently referred to as the crypt. In 1924, the construction of the basilica was inaugurated and was finally completed in 1967. Saint Joseph’s Oratory is the largest church in Canada, and the dome is the second-largest of its kind in the world, second only to Saint Peter’s Basilica in Rome. It draws more than 2 million visitors each year, making it one of the most popular destinations in Montréal.