In the heart of Winnipeg, the remains of Saint Boniface Cathedral can be seen towering over the Red River. Built in 1906 by Archbishop Langevin, the cathedral was badly damaged by fire in 1968. After the fire, all that remained of the cathedral were the stone exterior walls.
The iron gate that leads to the cathedral can be seen from Tache Avenue. A brick path leads from the avenue to the cathedral, with a prominent graveyard located on both sides of the path. As you walk closer to the cathedral, the details of the architecture can be seen in greater detail.
The rose window, which once adorned the top of the cathedral, was another casualty of the fire. The window, along with bells made in the 1860s, and old parish records, were all destroyed.
The cathedral grounds feature a highly decorated graveyard, which happens to be the resting place of one of Manitoba’s founders, as well as resistance leader, Louis Reil. His father, Louis Reil Sr, and his grandfather, Jean-Baptiste Lagimodière, whom Lagimodière Boulevard is named after, are also buried here.
Located within the cathedral is a crypt that contains the remains of several past bishops.
While the damaged cathedral was never repaired, a new church was built behind the facade in 1972, which is in use today.
