Sight guide · Ottawa · Canada
Visiting Notre-Dame Cathedral Basilica
Ottawa's oldest surviving church, completed in the 19th century, has twin silver spires visible across Lowertown and a vaulted ceiling painted deep blue with gold stars above carved wooden galleries and stained glass.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Hayden Soloviev, CC BY 4.0
Quick answer
Notre-Dame Cathedral Basilica is a religious site in ByWard Market and Lowertown, Ottawa. Allow 30 minutes; it is free. Booking ahead is not usually needed.
Key facts
- Type
- Religious site
- Area
- ByWard Market and Lowertown
- Time needed
- 30 minutes
- Cost
- Free
- Book ahead
- Not usually needed
- Good for
- architecture, free, history and off the beaten path
- Best months
- February and September–October
About Notre-Dame Cathedral Basilica
Ottawa's oldest surviving church, completed in the 19th century, has twin silver spires visible across Lowertown and a vaulted ceiling painted deep blue with gold stars above carved wooden galleries and stained glass.
Tip: Step in on a sunny morning, when the light makes the blue ceiling glow; entry is free outside services.
Plan your visit
- Time needed: 30 minutes.
- Cost: Free — no ticket needed for the main area.
- Book ahead: not usually needed; buy on arrival.
- Where: ByWard Market and Lowertown, market stalls, restaurants and the city's busiest bar streets beside Parliament.
Best time to visit Notre-Dame Cathedral Basilica
To avoid the biggest crowds, aim for the quietest of the good months:
- February: -4°C (25°F) highs, about 10 rainy days, moderate crowds.
- September: 20°C (68°F) highs, about 12 rainy days, moderate crowds.
- October: 13°C (55°F) highs, about 12 rainy days, moderate crowds.
When to visit Ottawa has the full month-by-month picture.
Fit it into your trip
Notre-Dame Cathedral Basilica is not on our short itineraries, so plan it as an extra once you have seen Parliament Hill and Rideau Canal and the Ottawa Locks.
- No. 12 of the 18 sights in our Ottawa things-to-do list.
- Day 2 of the 2-day plan.
- Listed in free things to do in Ottawa.
- One of the picks in historic sites in Ottawa.
Near Notre-Dame Cathedral Basilica
Also in ByWard Market and Lowertown, so you can walk between them:
- Major's Hill Park — 30–60 minutes, free
- Royal Canadian Mint — 45 minutes, low cost
- National Gallery of Canada — 2–3 hours, mid-priced
If you like Notre-Dame Cathedral Basilica
- Parliament Hill — Downtown and Parliament Hill, 1.5–2 hours with a tour
- Rideau Canal and the Ottawa Locks — Downtown and Parliament Hill, 1–2 hours
- Canadian Museum of History — Old Hull, Gatineau, 3 hours
- National War Memorial and Confederation Square — Downtown and Parliament Hill, 20–30 minutes
Staying near Notre-Dame Cathedral Basilica
Stay in ByWard Market and Lowertown ($$$) to walk here: market stalls, restaurants and the city's busiest bar streets beside Parliament. All areas to stay in Ottawa.
Questions travellers ask
+How long do you need at Notre-Dame Cathedral Basilica?
Plan 30 minutes. With Major's Hill Park nearby, it fits a half-day in ByWard Market and Lowertown.
+Is Notre-Dame Cathedral Basilica free?
Yes, it is free to visit.
+When is the best time to visit Notre-Dame Cathedral Basilica?
February and September–October, the quietest of the good months. Step in on a sunny morning, when the light makes the blue ceiling glow; entry is free outside services.
+Do I need to book Notre-Dame Cathedral Basilica in advance?
Usually not: you can decide on the day.