Montreal Olympic Park

Roger Taillibert designed the 1976 Olympic complex, and it became a byword for cost overrun: the final bill, including interest, was around one and a half billion dollars and Quebec finished paying in 2006, thirty years later, which earned the stadium the nickname the Big Owe. The tower leans at forty-five degrees to one hundred and sixty-five metres, the tallest inclined tower in the world, with a funicular running up the outside to an observation deck. The retractable roof never worked properly and has been replaced repeatedly. The Biodome, in the former velodrome, houses five reconstructed ecosystems from tropical rainforest to sub-Antarctic.

What you actually see

• The inclined tower - 165 metres at 45 degrees, with an exterior funicular.
• The Biodome - five ecosystems built inside the old velodrome.
• The stadium - the 1976 bowl and its troubled roof history.
• The Taillibert concrete - a distinctive organic 1970s architectural style.

When to go

Year-round; the Biodome and tower run all year. The Biodome reopened in 2020 after a major redesign. Combined tickets with the Botanical Garden and Insectarium save money.

Honest expectations

The stadium itself is rarely open except for events. The roof has been non-functional or under replacement for much of its life. Attractions are ticketed separately and add up.

Nearby

The Botanical Garden adjoins; Jean-Talon Market lies west.