At first glance, the Notre-Dame Basilica of Montréal and Notre-Dame de Paris may look like architectural twins—with grey stone, twin towers and dramatic Gothic details. But Montreal’s basilica is not an identical copy . Built between 1824 and 1829, it became Canada’s first Gothic Revival church. Its façade was partly inspired by the towers of Notre-Dame de Paris and Saint-Sulpice, while its spectacular blue-and-gold interior took more inspiration from Paris’s Sainte-Chapelle. Notre-Dame de Paris is much older: construction began in 1163 and continued in stages for roughly two centuries. Two Notre-Dames. Two continents. Two completely different masterpieces — Which one would you visit first — Montreal or Paris?