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Guided Tours
Flag - waiting list
Conservation, Rehabilitation and Upgrade of the Library of Parliament
Work on the Centre Block
Peace Tower
Centre Block Underground Services (CBUS)
Work on the West Block
Work on the East Block
Carvings
Other
Guided Tours
How can I arrange a tour of Parliament Hill?
Groups of 10 or more, including school groups, must contact the Library
of Parliament in advance to reserve tours: (613) 996-0896.
For general information on public programs and services, visit the Parliamentary
Internet.
Flag - waiting list
How can I add my name to the waiting list for a Canadian flag that has flown on Parliament Hill?
Send a written request that includes your full home mailing address and specifies which building's flag you wish to receive. (There is currently a 10-year waiting list for a Peace Tower flag and a 5-year waiting list for the East and West Block flags.) As a policy, only one flag is sent per household.
Send your request to:
Public Works and Government Services Canada
Office of the Minister
18A1, Portage III
11 Laurier Street
Gatineau, QC
K1A 0S5
or by fax to: (819) 953-1908
or by e-mail to: Minister@pwgsc.gc.ca
Conservation, Rehabilitation and Upgrade of the Library of Parliament
What will the work entail?
The scope of work includes masonry conservation, roof replacement, window
repairs, improved insulation and weatherproofing of the entire building
and repair and conservation of ironwork. The electrical, mechanical, communications
and security systems will be upgraded to support current and future equipment
demands. The basement structure will be lowered to increase headroom in
the two collection storage levels and to add a new level underneath for
mechanical systems. The parquet floor will be repaired and replaced. Woodwork,
including the bookstacks, will be repaired and conserved. The lighting
will be improved and plaster will be repaired as required.
What is the difference between conservation, rehabilitation
and upgrade?
Rehabilitation = Repair what is damaged
Conservation = Preserve what is there
Upgrade = Meet current building standards
When will the work start? How long will it take
to complete it?
Conservation, rehabilitation and upgrade work began in the year 2002 and
is expected to be completed 3 years later.
Will the Library building be vacated during the
work?
Due to the extensive nature of the work, and in order to ensure the safety
of the occupants and the collections, the Library building will be vacated
for the duration of the project.
Where will staff and collections be relocated?
Approximately 50 employees and the reference and core collections will
be relocated close to Parliament Hill (at 125 Sparks Street, in Ottawa).
The rest of the collection will be consolidated with the repository collection
already located in Gatineau, Québec.
Will Library clients continue to have access to Library
collections and services while the Library building is under construction?
Yes, the Library will continue to offer the same level of service
to Parliamentarians and other authorized clients.
Will visitors have access to the Library building
while it is under construction?
Unfortunately not, but information, developed by the Library of Parliament,
will be included in the Parliament Hill guided tours. As well, information
on the progress of the construction can be found at the following link:
Work in progress.
Will the beautiful heritage aspects of the Library
be safeguarded?
Features of heritage value will be protected or enhanced. The rehabilitation
is to be guided by minimum intervention principles. We are working closely
with Federal Heritage Buildings Review Office to ensure the heritage character
is maintained.
How will the Library look after the work is
completed?
Inside, the space will be returned to its original function, with a slightly
different layout. The main floor will be more like a reading room and
it will be less cluttered. There will also be increased space for public
tours. Outside, the new copper roof will look as new as a shiny penny
for a couple of weeks, then it will turn brown. It could take approximately
30 years to achieve its final green colour. As well, the cleaned stones
will be paler (like the Peace Tower and the south facade of Centre Block),
and the window frames and the ironwork will be repaired and repainted.
The End Result: A New Beginning
Will you remove the Queen Victoria statue located
inside the Library building?
Yes. Due to the extensive nature of the work, the statue has been removed,
conserved and stored until the interior of the Library is completed.
Statistics about the Library of Parliament
- 4815m3 (170,040 ft3) of bedrock will be excavated
approx. 1/2 the size of the Peace Tower
- 20,000 meter of joints = 20 km, south façade of Centre Block
contained 23km.
- Approximately 70 tons of steel were used for the scaffolding
- 5817 sq. m of architecture fabric in total = 5817 sq. m. is equal
to 3 hockey rinks.
Work on the Centre Block
What was the cost of the Centre Block south facade
project?
$18.8 million.
How many linear metres of mortar joints make up the
Centre Block south facade?
23 km (14.3 mi.).
How many stones can be found in the Centre Block south
facade?
50,000 stones (approximate).
How many windows are there in the Centre Block south
facade?
550.
What is the area of copper roof on the south facade?
3,000 m2 (9842.5 ft.2).
What was done with the old roof?
PWGSC provided 1,800 m2 (5905 sq. ft.) to organizations
working with persons with special needs. The copper was used to make various
souvenirs which are sold at various locations within the National Capital
Region.
What types of stone make up Centre Block south facade?
Sandstone from Nepean, Ontario, Canada, Ohio, United States of America
and Wallace, Nova Scotia, Canada.
Peace Tower
What was the cost of the Peace Tower restoration
project?
$9.9 million.
What is the height of the Peace Tower?
92.2 m (302 ft. 6 in.).
What was the height of Victoria Tower (part of the
original Centre Block destroyed by fire in 1916)?
55 m (180 ft.).
How many linear metres of mortar joints make up
the Peace Tower?
25 km (15.5 mi.).
How many stones make up the Peace Tower?
54,000 (approximate).
What is the size of the clock face?
4.8 m (15 ft. 8 in.) in diameter.
What is the size of Canadian flag on the Peace Tower?
2.25 x 4.5 m (7 ft. 3 in. x 14 ft. 7 in.).
How many bells are there in the Carillon?
53.
What types of stones make up the Peace Tower?
Nepean, Ontario, Canada, Ohio, USA, and Wallace, Nova Scotia, Canada sandstone
and granite.
Centre Block Underground Services (CBUS)
What is the cost of CBUS?
Total project cost is $25.1 million.
How much rock was removed from the site?
Approximately 30,000 m3 (98,425 ft3).
How was the rock removed?
3,000 double-axle dump trucks removed the rock.
What assurances were there that the heritage characteristics
of all buildings were preserved?
The entire construction process was closely monitored by the National
Research Council and the Federal Heritage Building Review Office to protect
the heritage characteristics of all buildings.
Work on the West Block
When was the West Block constructed?
1859-1865.
Who were the contractors?
Jones, Haycock and Clarke.
Who were the architects?
Thomas Stent and Augustus Laver.
What was the cost?
$641,000.
In what style was the West Block designed?
Gothic Revival.
What are the names of the extensions and when were
they constructed?
Mackenzie Wing and Tower -- 1875-1878.
Laurier Tower and Link -- 1905-1906.
When was the latest renovation done, by whom and
for how much?
1961-1965.
Contractors -- Perini Ltd.
Cost -- $5,088,000.
Work on the East Block
What was the cost of the East Block's 1910 wing
restoration?
$18.8 million.
Who were the contractors?
Ellis Don Construction.
Who were the architects?
Dorval & Fortin Architects.
Why are the sections of the East Block named "1867"
and "1910"?
The original 1867 section housed parts of the Government of Canada
in the early days of Confederation. It is built in the Victorian Gothic
style with turrets, arches, gargoyles and wrought iron details. The 1910
segment was added in 1910, built in a less ornate style to provide office
for government staff and secure valuables.
Carvings
How many carvings can be found on the Peace Tower?
Approximately 370 - gargoyles, grotesques, carvings, friezes and bosses.
Have any new carvings been added recently to the
buildings on Parliament Hill?
Although the exterior carvings are all original, new carvings are
added continuously to the interior of the buildings of Parliament Hill.
For example, in 1994, a series of 14 carved panels in the Chamber of the
House of Commons was completed by the Government of Canada's official
sculptor, Maurice Joanisse. These panels illustrate prehistoric life in
Canada, from 400 to 75 million years B.C., with carvings of dinosaurs,
reptiles and vegetation.
Is there a data source available that lists and
describes the carvings on Parliament Hill?
The Government of Canada's official sculptor, Maurice Joanisse, is
currently researching, documenting and photographing every carving on
the exterior facades of the buildings on Parliament Hill in order to produce
a historic chronicle.
What is the origin of the word "gargoyle"?
The word "gargoyle" comes from the French "gargouille," which means
"throat" or "pipe".
When did gargoyles make their debut on structures?
Gargoyles inhabited the great cathedrals of the Middle Ages proliferating
between the 11th and 13th centuries. Some of their descendants have ventured
away from churches, migrating to other important buildings.
Were all gargoyles portrayed as grotesques?
Although most gargoyles were portrayed as frightening figures meant
to scare away evil spirits, some were meant to be a "sermon in stone"
that could be "read" by an illiterate population. Some gargoyles illustrated
biblical stories.
Other
What are the dimensions of the Centre Block?
The approximate exterior dimensions, excluding the Peace Tower and
the Library of Parliament, are 143.8 m (472 ft.) by 74.85 m (245 ft. 6
in.). With six storeys, it has two more storeys than the original building.
It also has a larger footprint and a taller tower. Although the building
is larger than the one it replaced, the architects were instructed to
ensure that the new building not overpower the Library or the East and
West Blocks.
What did the original Centre Block look like?
The building was built of sandstone from a quarry in Nepean Township,
Ontario, Canada. The arches over the windows and doors were warm-coloured
red sandstone from Postdam, New York, United States of America, and the
dressings were of gray Ohio, United States of America, freestone. The
roofing was dark slate from Vermont, United States of America, decorated
with a band of light green slate from the same place.
When the iron crown was added to the Victoria Tower by 1878, the Tower
was 55 m (180 ft.) high. The Victoria Tower was commonly called the birthday
cake tower. The Tower clock was installed in 1879 and was the final step
in the 20-year construction of the building.
The total cost was $5 million, including the Library. The dimensions
of the Senate Chamber and the House of Commons Chamber were both 26.8 m
by 14.3 m (88 ft. by 47 ft.) and they were carpeted in red and green
respectively, just as today.
The only remaining original pieces of the building are the Library of
Parliament, the Bell from the Tower, and the foundation under the southeast
corner. However, some sections from the ruins of the old Centre Block
were moved to the grounds of the Mackenzie King Estate in Gatineau
Park, Quebec, Canada. A fireplace, thought to have come from room
16, is still embedded in the lower part of one of these walls.
The one remaining item is the original cornerstone, which was dug out
of the ruins and cleaned and rededicated on September 1, 1916, by Arthur,
Duke of Connaught, who was the brother of Albert Edward, Prince of Wales,
who laid the first cornerstone.
How did the 1916 fire start?
Although the cause has never been proven, it is believed to have started
in the House of Commons Reading Room. The combination of books and newspapers,
varnished and oil-soaked woodwork and cigarettes may have been the cause.
However, because the fire occurred during World War I, sabotage was also
suspected at the time.
Is there general information about the Peace Tower,
the clock and carillon?
Height from ground to base of flagpole: 92.20 m (302 ft. 6 in.)
Height from ground to centre of clock faces: 65.23 m (214 ft.)
Diameter of clock faces: 4.80 m (15 ft. 8 in.)
Length of minute hands: 2.57 m (8 ft. 5 in.)
Length of hour hands: 1.55 m (5 ft.)
Size of flag: 2.25 m x 4.5 m (7 ft. 3 in. x 14 ft. 7 in.)
The carillon:
Number of bells: 53
Musical range: 4 ½ octaves
- Bourdon bell:
Weight: 10,160 kg (22 400 lb.)
Diameter: 2.54 m (8 ft. 4 in.)
Height: 2.07 m (6 ft. 10 in.)
Note: "E"
- Smallest bell:
Weight: 4.5 kg (10 lb.)
Diameter: 16.6 cm (7 in.)
Height: 14.2 cm (6 in.)
Note: "A"
Weight of carillon clapper for bourdon bell: 229kg (505 lb.)
Weight of clock-hammer for bourdon bell: 254 kg (560 lb.)
Total weight of all 53 bells: 54 t (60 tons)
Weight of steel bell-frame: 12 t (13 tons)
Interior height of belfry: 27.73 m (91 ft.)
Are the plaques around the Centennial Flame marble?
The plaques are made from red Canadian granite from the Grenville
region, in Quebec. They are not the original plaques. The originals were
Wallace sandstone from Nova Scotia, Canada. Unfortunately the original
stones deteriorated very quickly and as a result had to be replaced in
the early 1980s. The new plaques were sculpted by Maurice Joanisse, federal
sculptor, and Marcel Joanisse, head of masonry from PWGSC. These two brothers
were very familiar with the task, as their father had sculpted the original
plaques.
Who designed the Centennial Flame?
In 1965 an ad hoc committee was formed which included Kaye Lamb, who
at the time was the National Librarian, and the idea of a "flame dancing
on water" was proposed. A Public Works architect by the name of Don Freeze
designed the flame.
What are the dimensions of Parliament Hill?
The grounds of the Hill are a total of 88,480 m2 (290,289
ft2). Grand total of area on the Hill including buildings and
grounds is 112,360 m2 (368,635 ft2).
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