Sunday, January 6, 2019

Paying One More Visit To Centre Block

In the first half of December I spent time showing you a full tour of Centre Block on Parliament Hill, as the building is closing down this month for several years of rehabilitation work. On the day I took that tour, the city was covered by fog, and so I decided that at some point over the Christmas holidays I would return for a visit up to the observation deck in the Peace Tower on a clear day. That day came two days before Christmas, a cold but sunny day that brought me back to Parliament Hill.

The current Centre Block is the second of its kind, having had replaced the first one after its destruction by fire in 1916. This one is in the Gothic style that matches the other Parliamentary blocks in the precinct. The observation deck is directly beneath the clock faces, visible in this approach as a set of windows between the clock and the grotesques that jut out from the corners of the Tower.


I started up from the check in area, and headed up a staircase to the level where the entrance to the Peace Tower and Memorial Chamber can be found. This is a view looking up. Incidentally, there are elevators in the building for those who have need of them.


Up at that level and close to the entrance, I photographed down into Confederation Hall one flight down. This space is the axis point of Centre Block, and was decorated for the holidays. Views of the space are plentiful from up here, and views of the carvings and displays accompany them in the following photographs. I continue with this over the coming days.

34 comments:

  1. I first thought it was Big Ben and then a church, after having read the text I understood ! Very nice photos !

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  2. Magnificent building and architecture William.

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  3. Thank goodness we still have this freedom of movement in our national buildings.

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  4. ...William, you certainly had a great day with a blue sky to take pictures. I don't see the man with his sign.

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  5. Wow-- look at that architecture!

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  6. I should have recognised Parliament Hill in your header shot.. it's a splendid piece of architecture beautifully shown here ✨

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  7. I'm so glad you were able to revisit Parliament before the building closes. It will be sad to see such a lovely spot like this close, even if for the best of reasons. I'm glad we have your photos to remind us!

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  8. Those are truly impressive views. Wow, years of close down sounds a bit "bitter"...

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  9. Hello William!
    The Parliament Hill looks so beautiful with the snow and the blue sky!
    Fantastic photo! Like your header! Have a lovely Sunday!
    Dimi...

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  10. oh ... i really enjoy the shot looking up the stair wells ... did u feel like falling over? drunk kind of? i try that any my head feels off??! loL! great shots. ( :

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  11. Hi William, this is a promising post, can't wait to see more of the views from the tower! Glad to see the architectural details.

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  12. @Linda: thanks!

    @Gattina: some of the architecture evokes Westminster.

    @Sami: I agree.

    @David: true.

    @Tom: I couldn't have asked for a better day.

    @Sandi: it is splendid.

    @Grace: it's a different angle, my header.

    @Jeanie: I will miss getting inside.

    @Iris: buildings like this require upkeep, so it must be done.

    @Dimi: thank you.

    @Beth: no, that didn't happen for me.

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  13. Wonderful inside shots ~ favorite is the arched window ~

    Happy Day to you,
    A ShutterBug Explores,
    aka (A Creative Harbor)

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  14. It's a beautiful area. I started to think about a ten year period to do this reno. One wonders if they are going to tear down the whole structure.

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  15. Great photos, the staircase picture makes me dizzy. Good capture

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  16. Such a beautiful place. I'm sure the restoration is necessary but sad that it will be closed for so long.

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  17. Thank you for sharing this wonderful place. I am so impressed with your photos. :-)

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  18. Such gorgeous photos. I really love the Christmas lights.

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  19. That first photo is my favorite. The building is truly magnificent.

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  20. What an amazing edifice. I can truthfully say that I have never been in a building like that. Tweeted.

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  21. It's beautiful and I'm looking forward to the view over sunny Ottawa.

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  22. These are beautiful views. Well done!

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  23. What a wonderful building it is, I hope it isn't closed for too long:)

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  24. @Barbara: thanks!

    @Carol: it's a beautiful window.

    @Red: it's a national historic site, so they have to take great care with it. At the same time they're doing things like seismic compensation and electric upgrades. How long it takes depends on what they find when they really get to work in there.

    @Maywyn: I like shots like that.

    @Francisco: thank you.

    @Sharon: it's going to be a long while before I see the interior again.

    @DJan: you're welcome.

    @Tamago: they stand out nicely.

    @Bill: that it is.

    @Mari: it's a castle of sorts.

    @Jan: thanks!

    @Kay: thank you!

    @Rosie: it'll be at least ten years, but likely longer.

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  25. Several years of work or several years worth of work? I was going to ask then I saw your response to Rosie's comment....that's crazy!

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  26. Also I wonder that the cost of all that work is...

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  27. Beautiful architecture. I would have guessed it to be older.

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  28. These places are magnificent, captured beautifully William.

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  29. Just love the architecture, great series of photographs.

    All the best Jan

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  30. I love the first picture. I'd prefer it without the people, but you can't have everything ;)

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  31. @Jenn: it'll be quite a sum of money.

    @Norma: Gothic architecture dates back centuries, so it would feel older.

    @Jennifer: it really is. I just wonder when they're going to put up scaffolding. They may not, for some time, according to something I saw the other day. It might be for a couple of years that the work is contained inside and that one won't really notice it from the outside.

    @Denise: thank you.

    @Jan: thanks!

    @Klara: true!

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