The Underground City
Place Ville-Marie, the cruciform skyscraper designed by I. M. Pei, was the tallest structure in the city when it opened in 1962. Located in the heart of Downtown, it signaled the beginning of Montréal's subterranean city. Montrealers were skeptical that anyone would want to shop or even walk around in the new "down" town, but more than five decades later they can't live without it, especially in winter.
About half a million people use the 32-km (20-mile) Underground City, or la ville souterraine, daily. The tunnels link 10 métro stations, 7 hotels, 200 restaurants, 1,700 boutiques, and 60 office buildings—not to mention movie theaters, concert halls, convention complexes, the Centre Bell, two universities, and a college. In 2004, the Underground City was rebranded as the "RESO," a play on the word "réseau," which means network. You'll see the signs for it in the Downtown area and can find a map of the network at montrealvisitorsguide.com/the-underground-city-map.
