Parliament Hill - Ottawa

The Parliament Hill is a landmark site within an area of 88, 480 square metres. Located in the city of Ottawa, Ontario Parliament Hill hosts numerous of parliament buildings known as the home of the Parliament of Canada.

Parliament Hill is one of the greatest constructions in North America.

Construction of the Parliament Hill’s Centre Block began in1860 when Prince Albert Edward, Prince of Wales laid the first stone. It took sixteen years the structure to be finished.

The grounds of, and behind the parliament were designed in the English garden style, including a wide range of memorials, statues as well as a Carpenter Gothic gazebo. When Queen Victoria died in 1901, those grounds were the site where the memorial ceremony was carried out.

On February 3, 1916 fire destroyed the Centre Block but the same year, on September 1, the original cornerstone was re-laid again by Prince Arthur, Duke of Connaught. The tower of the new building was rebuilt in eleven years and was dedicated to all the Canadians who participated in the First World War and lost their lives on the battlefield. It was called the Peace Tower.

The Centre Block of the Parliament Hill is designed in the modern Gothic style and hosts the Senate and Commons chambers, also the Library of Parliament and the Peace Tower. The East and West Blocks in architectural style are more orientated in the Victorian High Gothic manner, including many administrative spaces, meeting rooms as well as ministers’ and senators’ offices. In the past, behind the West Blocks the used to be the Old Supreme Court Building which was later destroyed.

Over the years Parliament Hill has welcomed many significant events that have marked in some way the history of Canada. Some of these events are: the first visit of the reigning Canadian sovereign King George VI, the visitation of Queen Elizabeth II in 1939, the first raising of the country’s new national flag in 1965, as well as the centennial of Confederation in 1967 and the both Silver and Golden Jubilee of Queen Elizabeth II in 1977 and in 2001.

The year of 2001 will also be remembered with a huge ceremony, organized to honour the victims of the September 11 attacks in New York.

Since 2002 the Parliament Hill has been under work involving innovation and restoration processes, these focused mainly on asbestos removal, vehicle screening, masonry restoration, electrical and mechanical systems along with improving visitor’s facilities.

Address:
Parliament Hill
Wellington St.
Ottawa
K1A 0A9
Canada

Tel: 613 239 5000

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