On the Sunday during Doors Open, I stopped at the Supreme Court. The rain was probably at its strongest when I took this shot.
The building houses not only the Supreme Court, and its judges and their staff, but also the Federal Court of Appeal, where one of the guides was speaking to visitors when I stopped in.
The building, done in the Art Deco style, was opened after the Second World War to house the Supreme Court- the courtroom is up those steps, and the building was quite popular during Doors Open.
For visitors, the building is open for guided tours when the Court is not in session, with tours in English and French each hour. I'd done a tour last year, so this time I was more interested in just getting some shots in. Peeking in the Court itself, I found one of the guides explaining the work of the Court to visitors.
Stepping back out gave me a rainy view of one of the two statues, in this case Justice, which flank the entrance. A view out to the Parliamentary blocks fills out the background.
The first view makes it a dismal looking place like something out of a horror movie which I have no doubt on a sunny day is quite different
ReplyDeleteThe gloomy day added a special atmosphere to your photos.
ReplyDeleteI think Supreme Court architecture is important in making a strong impression on all who must come through its doors.
I always take visitors to the guided tour at our high court in Jerusalem. Its modern architecture is based on several ideas in the Bible.
Nice series, William, I especially love your first, third and last photos!
ReplyDeleteHa, you could use that top photo is a ghost story!
ReplyDeleteThat first photo reminds me of our bad weather here....spooky photo.
ReplyDeleteThe first shot is great. It's an impressive building, but it's better not to be there too much ... ;-)
ReplyDeleteCourts are always so big and imposing. You could write that first photo into a story with all that mood and atmosphere!
ReplyDeleteJanis
GDP
The rain in the 1st photo didn't do credit to the grand building. The interior is very impressive. I think I have seen the interior in some of the movies I have seen.
ReplyDeleteIt's so fun to see inside these places!
ReplyDelete@Bill: I have photographed it in sunny weather and it is a totally different mood.
ReplyDelete@Dina: this certainly does make that impression.
@Linda: thanks!
@Stefan: it does seem haunted in this case.
@Marianne: it felt spooky!
@Jan: indeed!
@Janis: that would do.
@Nancy: perhaps it is the architectural style, though I did feature it last year.
@Halcyon: it is!
Thanks for this most interesting tour of your highest seat of justice. It's a grand building for sure, but, as most such buildings, it doth lack a warm, homey feel.
ReplyDeletelooks like a dark and grey day. i enjoy all the windows & lightness. nice! i prefer the light, you probably use less lighting if you have more windows. i would think? ( :
ReplyDeleteVery impressive building. The first photo makes it look like you are about to walk in to a very mysterious building.
ReplyDeleteThanks for this interesting tour of the Supreme Court, William ! A great building !
ReplyDeleteI can understand why this would be a popular stop on the open doors day. It's a place that most people never get to see.
ReplyDeleteI'm surprised that the building was built after the second world war. It's something I would like to visit but only with doors opening.
ReplyDelete@Lowell: I imagine the grandeur of the building contributes to that.
ReplyDelete@Beth: the last time I'd been inside, it was a sunny day, so you got a lot more light coming into the space, particularly the entrance. I imagine it's more common to have shades drawn in the courtrooms themselves.
@Bill: it's like something out of a Bronte novel, that first shot.
@Karl: thank you!
@Sharon: true, though locals know it is open for visiting. I just wonder how many locals do come through when court's not in session.
@Red: one wouldn't want to be the subject of a case! Construction happened during the war, but it didn't serve as quarters for the Court until after the war had ended. If memory serves, when it was initially complete, the building housed some war offices.
It's almost like a B & W photo, the temperature of it all.
ReplyDeleteIt would have been on my list of places to visit during the event! Love the moody rainy shots.
ReplyDeleteThat's a great new header shot, I love the first picture of the court building, it looks really dark and foreboding, well captured..
ReplyDeleteThe first two pictures were rather grim and foreboding. I was glad to see the light filled spaces.
ReplyDeleteI have seen several state Supreme Court buildings and courtrooms. Some courtrooms, like Connecticut's, are surprisingly small. Some, like Ohio's, are quite large and impressive. This one looks like it is on the smaller size.
ReplyDeleteI thought the lobby looked familiar. What a beautiful building, courtrooms included.
ReplyDeleteGreat play of light in this impressive building. And love the eerie atmosphere in the first photo.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful series of shots of the Supreme Court building William, first and last shots fabulous!
ReplyDelete@Jennifer: it did have that effect.
ReplyDelete@RedPat: it was well worth the visit.
@Geoff: it was such a contrast to previous occasions when I have photographed the building.
@Mari: it is beautiful inside.
@Jack: while the building is big, the court itself doesn't overwhelm.
@Kay: yes, I featured it last summer or early fall.
@Gemma: thanks!
@Grace: thank you!
Love the atmosphere in the first shot....
ReplyDeleteSo do I!
DeleteThat first shot .... wow. I love it. It could be on the cover of a book and/or DVD. Well done.
ReplyDeleteIt looks so different on a sunny day.
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