The village of Ste-Anne de Beaupré is known for the Goliath-sized Basilique Ste-Anne-de-Beaupré and its role as a shrine. Churches had been built at this location since the mid-1600s but were frequently destroyed by fire. The awe-inspiring basilica you see today was constructed after a devastating blaze in 1922 and has been open since 1934.
Inside don't miss the lovely modern stained-glass windows (there are 214 of them), the impressive tilework and glittering ceiling mosaics depicting the life of St Anne. The object that attracts the most devotion is the statue of St Anne atop a tall pillar in the north transept. In the crypt are two massive chapels – among almost two dozen in the basilica – devoted to the Immaculate Conception and the Blessed Sacrament. As you enter the basilica look at the pillars to the right and the left; hanging from them are crutches and other aids left behind as ex-votive offerings by the faithful who were cured after praying to the saint.
