The main entrance at the base of the Peace Tower is always interesting to photograph.
The work of the stone masons here draws me right in.
Over on the west side of Centre Block, on the same hilltop that features the Queen Victoria monument is this monument to Prime Minister Lester Pearson. You can learn more about him right here. The Confederation and Justice buildings, which I showed you a couple of days ago, linger in the background beyond him.
He was an extraordinary Prime Minister, perhaps the best we ever had. And this is my favourite statue on the Hill. It's not at a great height like so many others, but much more human in having him sit, relaxed. His shoe tends to gleam from being touched by so many passersby.
I would so enjoy taking a seat in that first photo! :)
ReplyDeleteInteresting way to position him for the statue....
ReplyDeleteI'm glad I've seen those details of the entrance and particularly the light. It is a lovely statue. He looks so relaxed!
ReplyDeleteThat stonework is fantastic!
ReplyDeleteI see you are an art lover. The art of your city teach us very well at all.
ReplyDeleteTomás.
A beautiful entrance indeed!
ReplyDeleteNice shots William. The Peace Tower has a lot hidden gems etched into it.
ReplyDeleteI much prefer these more life-size sculptures.
ReplyDeleteso beautiful!
ReplyDeleteWonderful shots of this building, William. Love the pose Pearson has in that statue.
ReplyDelete@Linda: thanks!
ReplyDelete@Norma: it's a different kind of perspective for the great man.
@Ciel: that's why I like the statue!
@Stuart: it really is.
@Tomas: thanks!
@Marleen: and so many ways to photograph it.
@Andy: it really does, at that.
@Revrunner: so do I.
@Hilary: thank you!
@EG: you'll never see a statue of the current PM looking like that.
I love the magnificent stonework. You are making me think we should take a trip to Ottawa!
ReplyDeleteThese are beautiful. Great details William.
ReplyDeleteHe was the first Canadian I remembered as PM.
ReplyDeletei love those arches!
ReplyDeletehe does look at ease. :) love the details!
ReplyDeleteI can almost imagine that crossed foot swinging....
ReplyDeleteThat archway is simply stunning with beautiful details and I love the statue. I like that he is depicted sitting. He has a much more relaxed position for watching the city.
ReplyDelete@Jackie: you should!
ReplyDelete@Luis: thank you!
@Birdman: I have a lot of respect for him... a real rarity in politicians.
@Tanya: I can never get enough of arches.
@Tex: thank you!
@Hamilton: so can I!
@Sharon: whoever created that particular statue did great work.
This is one of my favorite posts: a lot of interesting detail and a beautiful statue of a rare kind of politician!
ReplyDeleteToo bad Pearson got Canada's lousiest airport named for him! I agree though, he was a great man and I like that sculpture.
ReplyDeleteLove seeing all the details from the Peace Tower too.
Marvelous place, love those statues, as well as those magnificent carvings on the building.
ReplyDeleteYou're right, that statue is a neat portrait of him. So much more natural and realistic than the average monument.
ReplyDeleteYou are showing us some wonderful stonework again today.
ReplyDeleteI really like that statue ! And the old carvings are always a treat to see.
ReplyDeleteThat's truly spectacular stonework, beautiful shots! And Pearson left quite a legacy. It's not common for a monument to be so - literally - down to earth. Better to have polished shoes than bird poop on his head.
ReplyDeleteA feast for the eyes!
ReplyDeleteOttawa's abundance of stonework always seems so clean and precise. Wonderful detail throughout.
ReplyDelete@VP: thank you!
ReplyDelete@Halcyon: I grew up in the countryside west of Toronto, so that airport's flight paths meant seeing airplanes quite often during the day.
@Denise: thanks!
@Tamera: some more conventional monuments coming up though...
@Jan: it's a pleasure to do so.
@RedPat: thanks!
@Kay: at least with this statue they don't have to bring out scaffolding and such to give it a cleaning when birds do that!
@Judy: thanks!
@Lauren: thank you.
Interesting post, and great shots.
ReplyDeleteThe stone masons really did a great job. Guess rubbing the shoe is kind of like rubbing Buddha's tummy? Gives you good luck!
ReplyDeleteThe stone work is incredible! It's art on a grand scale.
ReplyDeleteAmazing piece of Architecture, despite reading about the construction of these Archs as a foundation of early Architectural elements, I have never seen one personally.
ReplyDeleteThe stone carvings are lovely, but the statue of the prime minister is really good. I like his casual pose.
ReplyDeleteThe last picture reminds me of Warehouse 13.
ReplyDelete@Paul: thanks!
ReplyDelete@Cheryl: it might!
@Mari: it certainly is.
@Wong: I love seeing them here.
@Jack: it's such a great sculpture on the Hill, and so different from the others.
@Whisk: I haven't seen that.