Montreal's fabled underground city opened fifty-five years ago. What
began as a subterranean pedestrian network beneath Place Ville Marie is
now an integral part of the city. Over the past decades it has developed
into a parallel metropolis, an amazing labyrinth of passageways, alleys,
atriums, and hallways that snake their way along over 40 km, connecting
85 downtown skyscrapers, ten hotels, 2,000 stores apartment blocks and
68 Métro stations. Montreal author Alan Hustak looks at its history,
takes you on a personal tour of the multi-level environment, and along
the way reveals its many hidden surprises. Like the city above ground
the underground city has its own mix of sun and shade, public squares,
fountains, green spaces, and even an indoor skating rink. It is not so
much an underground city--that's a misnomer--as it is an enclosed,
weather proof city: a climate-controlled environment, above and below
ground that is air-conditioned in summer and warm against the blast of
winter. For Montrealers and visitors alike, Montreal's Underground City
is an indispensable guide with tours, maps, and indexes, and photographs
in full color.