This is the U.S. Embassy here in Ottawa, a structure I've come to think of as The Fortress. It overlooks Major's Hill Park on the west side, and looms over the Byward Market to the east. The building takes some getting used to, but I think in time that's happened.
I took these shots from across the street, with the park to my left, and fall colours standing out nicely. I will be featuring a look at the embassy from inside the park in tomorrow's post as well.
Down the street gives us a different point of view and a look at the embassy's neighbour, the Connaught Building.
And this view takes in the embassy from the grounds of the Peacekeeping Monument.
Beautiful series, William!
ReplyDeleteI love the tree-lined walkway. Such a pretty time of year!
ReplyDeleteFunny I think all embassy's look like that. Impressive memorial
ReplyDeleteInteresting architecture. I wondering what your temperatures are about now?
ReplyDeleteYes all the American embassy's have become fortresses all over the world.
ReplyDeleteI love the embassy and the peacekeeping monument!
ReplyDeleteJanis
GDP
Great photos of the embassy and of the Peacekeeping Monument. The one of the Fall colored trees is very nice too.
ReplyDeleteWhy doesn't it surprise me that the US embassy is fortress like :) looking forward to having a peek inside William.
ReplyDeleteI have seen several embassies that look like fortresses, and this one is not too bad.
ReplyDeleteIf it looks like a bunker, it's ours!
ReplyDeletei love all those windows ... i wonder how often they clean them? very cool architecture. happy day! ( :
ReplyDeleteIt certainly does look like a fortress. I'll be looking forward to seeing some of the interior.
ReplyDeleteI'll say the look of the building takes some getting used to. It's a little busy with the rectangles of glass and reflections. I commented before on the fences around some of these buildings. Here the fence is very prominent.
ReplyDeleteUnfortunately, embassies of my native country around the world seem to be taking on this shape and sense of foreboding. I had heard they had to be 100 feet from a street...the new US one here is. It used to be on a large venue, with just a sidewalk in front. Your embassy is still across the street; hasn't moved.
ReplyDeleteWonderful modern building.
ReplyDeleteThat is one big embassy! Have a great weekend!
ReplyDeleteTimes have certainly changed, William!
ReplyDeleteThat really is a fortress. It is a bit sad that we live in a time when these buildings have to be so heavily guarded.
ReplyDeleteAll the glass works well for reflection shots. :)
ReplyDeleteUnusual architecture and interesting that it is called the Fortress with all those windows!
ReplyDeleteThe last shot is fantastic. It does look like a fortress. All it needs is a moat...
ReplyDeleteBeautiful colours, shadows and reflections. The windows on this building certainly look as if they are all barred in fortress mode.
ReplyDeleteI had no idea the U.S. embassy in Ottw Wa ao LARGE!
ReplyDelete@Linda: thanks!
ReplyDelete@Halcyon: it surprised me, seeing that late in the year, so I photographed the trees like that.
@Bill: I thought of incorporating the two together, and was pleased by the result.
@Lauren: today it's near the freezing mark.
@Marianne: they certainly have.
@Janis: thank you!
@Denise: thanks!
@Grace: I should have written that differently... tomorrow's view is from the park, not inside the embassy. I'll really have to try next year to get in during Doors Open.
@VP: I think the glass offsets a lot of the fortress mentality.
@Norma: oh yes!
@Beth: I imagine they get serious cleaning regularly.
@Lowell: that'll have to wait until I get inside sometime!
ReplyDelete@Red: it is. The place got some depth in terms of security after 9/11.
@Pat: it's a curious thing- I get why they need it this way.
@Jose: very modern, and yet when I look at it, it seems to reflect in some ways the Connaught Building next door in terms of its outline.
@Nancy: thank you!
@RedPat: they have.
@Sharon: but we do.
@Marleen: oh yes, and definitely all the more so on good days.
@Linda: well, that's what I call it, but I prefer this one greatly to the Russian embassy here, which just screams out "go away!"
@Ciel: with Dick Cheney running around at the bottom of the moat snarling and yelling.
@Gemma: it does have that feel.
@EG: it is a big one.
it does look a bit imposing, but the day looked pretty around it!
ReplyDeleteOne fears the American character may have grown defensive
ReplyDeleteAn interesting building William, they have a large embassy in London also overlooking a green area..
ReplyDeleteAptly named.
ReplyDeleteI would never have guessed the U.S. Embassy would look like that! It's almost a little scary.
ReplyDeleteI don't know. Kind of looks like a cruise ship to me. Don't you think? :-)
ReplyDeleteIt is a fortress! The peacekeeper monument I find incongruous, but lovely!
ReplyDeleteI like your last shot, especially. The embassy? Not so much. About all I like of it is the flag. Canada is a great trade partner. Too bad we couldn't honor the relationship with a more attractive building, even it it must be so hardened.
ReplyDeleteThose windows are pretty darn cool.
ReplyDeleteAll government buildings seem to have the same feel. If that's the word.
ReplyDelete@Tex: that's what I liked- nice skies that day.
ReplyDelete@Cloudia: unfortunately.
@Geoff: this is quite a difference from the old embassy, which still deserves to be used.
@Mari: I thought so. I've heard great things about the interior from another photographer, so I'd love to get inside.
@Lois: as I said, it takes getting used to.
@Revrunner: I can see that too!
@Jennifer: thank you!
@Kay: well, at least now we've got a better relationship with the previous PM kicked out of office. It was becoming toxic, and that was all on him, not the President.
@Whisk: I think so too!
@Shelly: I think it is the right way to put it.
123 got my attention.
ReplyDeleteThanks!
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