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Peace TowerThe Carillon The Peace Tower, so named to honour the thousands of Canadian men and women who sacrificed their lives for their country in World War I, stands at the front of the Centre Block.
Like the present Centre Block, the Peace Tower differs markedly from the structure it replaced. While the old Victoria Tower was an integral part of the first Centre Block, the Peace Tower is a campanile, or free-standing bell tower.
Its walls are made of Nepean sandstone. They rise 92.2 m (302 ft. 6 in.) from the base to the bronze flagpole. The roof is reinforced concrete covered with copper. The Tower contains an observation deck, a clock with four faces 4.8 m (16 ft.) in diameter, a carillon and the Memorial Chamber, honouring Canada's war dead.
The Carillon Concerts are heard regularly on Parliament Hill from the Peace Tower carillon (Refer to the Parliamentary Internet for more information on this and other public programs and services.). The 54-t (60-ton) instrument, developed from the 17th century chiming clocks in Dutch and Flemish cities, contains 53 bells, ranging in size from the 4.5 kg (10 lb.) A-bell 16.6 cm (7 in.) in diameter to the 10,160 kg (22,400 lb.) bourdon tuned to E. It is the bourdon that strikes the hour.
The carillon is played from a large keyboard similar to that of an organ. To play, the keys are usually struck with the closed fist, but in the case of the heavier bells, which are fixed, the carilloneur must use his feet. Connected wires swing the clappers against the bells. Musicians come from all over the world to study this superbly tuned carillon. The Peace Tower contains one of the earliest and finest carillons in North America.
The Memorial Chamber A central component of the Peace Tower is the Memorial Chamber, dedicated to the Canadian men and women who have given their lives in the service of their country.
The design of the Chamber is Gothic Revival. However, its high, stained-glass windows, cusped arches and fan-vaulted ceiling create an atmosphere more in keeping with the memorial chapel of a cathedral. The Memorial Chamber is rich with symbolism. The floor is made of stones taken from the World War I battlegrounds where Canadians fought. The walls and columns are faced with stone from France and Belgium, the two countries where Canadians saw the most combat. At the centre of the Chamber stands the central Altar carved from a block of Hopton Wood, the same British stone used for the tombstones in military cemeteries. The central Altar, and similar altars in the Chamber, contain the Books of Remembrance, inscribed with the names of Canadians who have died in battle. For more information on the Books of Remembrance, go to "Veterans Affairs Canada".
Carvings of Stone
What are those stone figures and carvings staring down from the Peace Tower of the Centre Block on Parliament Hill? Some are fanciful human figures, some are animal figures, while others portray lurid ancient creatures. Whatever they are, all of them are original carvings that were incorporated into the Gothic Revival architectural style of the buildings on Parliament Hill. There are still many uncarved blocks of stone in the interior of the Centre Block that are waiting to be transformed into notable works of art. Although the carvings are generally referred to as gargoyles, there is a descriptive difference between "gargoyles" and "grotesques", "friezes" and "bosses". Gargoyles were created with a two-fold practical purpose. First, to ward off evil and, second, to eject excess water from the exterior of buildings. A gargoyle, although sometimes mistaken for a grotesque, is a spout or eavestrough carved in the form of a human or animal figure projecting from a roof gutter to catch rainwater and throw it clear of a building. A grotesque is a style of decorative art characterized by fanciful human or animal figures that may distort the natural into absurdity, ugliness or caricature. At the turn of the century, grotesques were carved as designs of figures for decoration or adornment on buildings. At the same time, they were made to symbolize a desire to fight the power of evil. Some grotesques or reliefs were carved onto a frieze, which is a horizontal band of decoration around the upper section of a wall, often ornamented with sculpture. The term boss is used to describe an ornamental projecting block that can be found at the end of a moulding or an arch. Grotesques Four of the many grotesques that can be found on the Peace Tower are made from Wallace sandstone (olive green) from Wallace, Nova Scotia, Canada. They are each approximately 105 cm (42 in.) high by 55 cm (22 in.) wide.
Reliefs Following are a number of decorative relief carvings that can be found on the many friezes on the Peace Tower. These have been sculpted from Wallace sandstone (olive green) from Wallace, Nova Scotia, Canada and vary in size.
Bosses The following example is one of many bosses to be found on the Peace Tower. While this particular one is carved from Wallace sandstone (olive green) from Wallace, Nova Scotia, Canada, some are carved from Birmingham buff sandstone from Ohio, United States of America.
Gargoyles There are 4 gargoyles on the Peace Tower. Each is approximately 2.5 m (8 ft. 4 in.) long by 75 cm (2 ft. 6 in.) high by 45 cm (1 ft. 6 in.) thick. They have been carved from Stanstead grey granite, which originates from Beebe, Quebec, Canada.
Preserving the Peace Tower The Peace Tower was reopened on December 2, 1996, after undergoing a two-year conservation project to stop deterioration and restore the masonry. The extreme temperatures of Ottawa's winter and spring thaws had damaged the masonry. As a result, pieces of stone were falling off. For the first time since its opening in 1927, the Peace Tower underwent large-scale exterior masonry work to prevent moisture penetration and rock falls. In order to allow the renovation work on the Peace Tower, a temporary structure or "building" was constructed around the Tower. The 92.2 m (302 ft. 6 in.), 13-floor "building" consisted of beams, columns and a 4.5 m (15 ft.) ceiling.
One-third of the temporary walls was made from plastic, which withstands physical wear and tear and provides protection from inclement weather. The remaining walls were covered with green safety netting to allow airflow in warmer weather. For the cooler winter months, a white tarp was added as a lining to the green netting to provide additional protection for the work area. The area was heated by steam, which was provided by existing steam lines, as well as natural gas space heaters.
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Maintained by the Communications Sector, Public Works and Government Services Canada.
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Last Updated: 2006-12-06
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