The octagonal building is 79 m long and 60 m wide. The pyramidal dome is crowned by a lantern supporting a 4.5 m high cross. The tip of the cross rises 78.5 m above the ground.
The basilica rests on 195 foundation piles driven through sand, clay, and glacial till to bedrock at a depth of approximately 27.5 m.
The white granite of the walls comes from Saint-Gérard (Wolfe). The copper roof changes color over time and develops a verdigris patina due to exposure to humid air.
The stylized replica of the statue of Our Lady of the Cape on the façade is the work of Paul Gingras and is 7.3 m high.
The foundation stone is located at the front of the basilica, at the top of the stairs, on the left. The four polished, cross-shaped stones set within were among those transported across the ice bridge in March 1879. They were blessed in Rome by Pope Pius XII.
The bell tower houses five bells tuned to D, F, G, A, and B.
The Sanctuary of Our Lady of the Cape, the second largest Marian shrine in North America, was founded in 1888 and attracts 430,000 visitors annually.
A true oasis of peace and greenery, it houses a vast basilica (1964) with stunning stained-glass windows, a historic chapel dating back to 1720, soon to celebrate its 300th anniversary, and magnificent gardens crisscrossed by pedestrian walkways that offer views of the St. Lawrence River.