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Description
The mountain is the site of Mount Royal Park (officially Parc du Mont-Royal), one of Montreal's largest greenspaces. The park, most of which is wooded, was designed by Frederick Law Olmsted, who also designed New York's Central Park, and inaugurated in 1876.

The park contains two belvederes, the more prominent of which is the Kondiaronk Belvedere, a semicircular plaza with a chalet, overlooking downtown Montreal. Other features of the park are Beaver Lake, a small man-made lake; a short ski slope; a sculpture garden; Smith House, an interpretive centre; and a well-known monument to Sir George-Étienne Cartier (currently being restored). The park hosts athletic, tourist, and cultural activities. Facing the mountain across Parc Avenue is Jeanne Mance Park (Parc Jeanne-Mance), a popular recreational area featuring tennis courts, a kiddie pool, playground, several baseball and football areas, as well as beach volleyball courts.

The park is also home to the CBC's Mount Royal transmitter facility, which comprises two large buildings (one used primarily by the CBC and one used by the private television stations) and a very short (about 100 m) candelabra tower, from which nearly all of Montreal's television and FM radio stations broadcast. Because of the close proximity of this tower to public areas of the park, in recent years significant concerns have been raised about radio-frequency radiation exposure; at several points formerly accessible to park users near the tower, radiation was found to be significantly higher than that permitted for the general public.

Mount Royal's eastern slope, with the cross and the monument to Sir George-Étienne Cartier, seen from avenue du ParcThe lush forest was badly damaged by the Ice Storm of 1998, but has since largely recovered. The forest is a green jewel rising above downtown Montreal, and is known for its beautiful autumn foliage as well as extensive hiking and cross-country ski trails. Biking is restricted to the main gravel roads.

Once, a funicular railroad brought sightseers to its peak. Unfortunately, that attraction has long since vanished and a roadway named for longtime but controversial former mayor Camillien Houde -- jailed during the Second World War for his opposition to Canada's war effort -- now bisects the mountain.

Outside the park, Mount Royal's slopes are also home to such Montreal landmarks as St. Joseph's Oratory, Canada's largest church; McGill University and its teaching hospitals, including the Royal Victoria and Montreal General hospitals; McGill's Molson Stadium, home to the CFL's Montreal Alouettes; the Université de Montréal; and some well-off residential neighbourhoods such as Upper Westmount and Upper Outremont.

There are two cemeteries in the area: Notre-Dame-des-Neiges Cemetery (Catholic), Mount Royal Cemetery (non-denominational but primarily Protestant, and including several small Jewish cemeteries) -- all of whom are now running out of space.

The park, cemeteries, and several adjacent parks and institutions have been combined in the Arrondissement historique et naturel du Mont-Royal (Mount Royal Natural and Historical District) by the government of Quebec, in order to legally protect the rich cultural and natural heritage of this region. It is the only place in Quebec to have the combined status of an arrondissement naturel and arrondissement historique.

The area was originally considered as the site for Expo 67

Description
The mountain is the site of Mount Royal Park (officially Parc du Mont-Royal), one of Montreal's largest greenspaces. The park, most of which is wooded, was designed by Frederick Law Olmsted, who also designed New York's Central Park, and inaugurated in 1876.

The park contains two belvederes, the more prominent of which is the Kondiaronk Belvedere, a semicircular plaza with a chalet, overlooking downtown Montreal. Other features of the park are Beaver Lake, a small man-made lake; a short ski slope; a sculpture garden; Smith House, an interpretive centre; and a well-known monument to Sir George-Étienne Cartier (currently being restored). The park hosts athletic, tourist, and cultural activities. Facing the mountain across Parc Avenue is Jeanne Mance Park (Parc Jeanne-Mance), a popular recreational area featuring tennis courts, a kiddie pool, playground, several baseball and football areas, as well as beach volleyball courts.

The park is also home to the CBC's Mount Royal transmitter facility, which comprises two large buildings (one used primarily by the CBC and one used by the private television stations) and a very short (about 100 m) candelabra tower, from which nearly all of Montreal's television and FM radio stations broadcast. Because of the close proximity of this tower to public areas of the park, in recent years significant concerns have been raised about radio-frequency radiation exposure; at several points formerly accessible to park users near the tower, radiation was found to be significantly higher than that permitted for the general public.

Mount Royal's eastern slope, with the cross and the monument to Sir George-Étienne Cartier, seen from avenue du ParcThe lush forest was badly damaged by the Ice Storm of 1998, but has since largely recovered. The forest is a green jewel rising above downtown Montreal, and is known for its beautiful autumn foliage as well as extensive hiking and cross-country ski trails. Biking is restricted to the main gravel roads.

Once, a funicular railroad brought sightseers to its peak. Unfortunately, that attraction has long since vanished and a roadway named for longtime but controversial former mayor Camillien Houde -- jailed during the Second World War for his opposition to Canada's war effort -- now bisects the mountain.

Outside the park, Mount Royal's slopes are also home to such Montreal landmarks as St. Joseph's Oratory, Canada's largest church; McGill University and its teaching hospitals, including the Royal Victoria and Montreal General hospitals; McGill's Molson Stadium, home to the CFL's Montreal Alouettes; the Université de Montréal; and some well-off residential neighbourhoods such as Upper Westmount and Upper Outremont.

There are two cemeteries in the area: Notre-Dame-des-Neiges Cemetery (Catholic), Mount Royal Cemetery (non-denominational but primarily Protestant, and including several small Jewish cemeteries) -- all of whom are now running out of space.

The park, cemeteries, and several adjacent parks and institutions have been combined in the Arrondissement historique et naturel du Mont-Royal (Mount Royal Natural and Historical District) by the government of Quebec, in order to legally protect the rich cultural and natural heritage of this region. It is the only place in Quebec to have the combined status of an arrondissement naturel and arrondissement historique.

The area was originally considered as the site for Expo 67