Embassy

The embassy for the Czech Republic has been a regular participant in Doors Open for the last few years. The Victorian house, which dates to the 1890s, had been a residence and later a club for the Liberal Party of Canada. It has been the Czech embassy since 2000, and a treat to see during Doors Open.

Some of the space is used to display art. I didn't personally get it, but that's me. I have more from here tomorrow.

New Use

Sparks Street runs east to west one block south of Parliament Hill, and is a pedestrian outdoor mall. Among its mix of architecture is the former main branch in the city for the Bank of Nova Scotia, dating to the 1920s. It is regularly part of the Doors Open circuit each June. For years, it has been an annex branch of the Library of Parliament. With the work going on at Centre Block, the central Library is not accessible to anyone, so this is for the next few years the main branch of several annex locations for the Library.

Having had once been a bank, the building includes a banker's office, which is warm and inviting.

The main space preserves the original features of the old bank, and adds in modern infrastructure that doesn't clash with the older elements. The modern touches are because this space is an archive. Usually Doors Open is the only opportunity the public will get to be in here, because it's used by members of Parliament and their staff. Since the last time I was in here, the central area on the floor has gone from having cubicles to more of a lounge setting- members of Parliament, being deprived of the main Parliamentary library for the next few years, can come down here, read newspapers or periodicals, and keep an eye on the news on television monitors nearby.

Along one side at the front of aisles are photographs and poems from the poet laureates of Parliament, a position that has been around for a number of years and varies between Francophones and Anglophones.

St. Andrew's

I left off yesterday in the sanctuary at St. Andrew's Presbyterian Church. Here are more of the stained glass windows.

War memorial plaques can be found inside the church- typical of most well established churches in the city, where those who served and died from the congregation or parish will be remembered on plaques like these. This is for the Second World War.

I mentioned yesterday that the sanctuary was organized with the pulpit area on one side. Here we have it.

This lectern out front of the pulpit is a gift from Queen Juliana as thanks to the congregation for their friendship during the Second World War.

More stained glass.

And here we have the memorial plaque for the First World War.

The stained glass in here is quite a wonder to see.

St. Andrew's

My next destination was St. Andrew's Presbyterian Church along Wellington Street. The church stands across from the Supreme Court of Canada. The congregation has its roots dating back to 1827, its first church set up the following year, and this current building dating to 1872. It is a regular participant in Doors Open.

Near the main entrance stands this Timothy Schmalz, another version of his Homeless Jesus, different from the one over at Christ Church. A scripture verse is marked at its base.

Inside, one finds a multitude of stained glass windows.

The sanctuary is quite dramatic inside, arranged in a semi circle with the pulpit at the side of the space. An organ loft is at the far end, and on this visit, the organist was playing.

Here we have another of those dramatic windows.

A number of historical photographs from the history of the church were placed here and there. These two in pews date to the Second World War, and were taken by the portrait photographer Yousuf Karsh inside and outside the church. The baptism of Princess Margriet of the Netherlands took place at St. Andrew's. Her mother the crown princess Juliana worshiped here with her daughters during their stay in Ottawa over the war years.

More of the stained glass.

Here we have a view looking back to where I came in. I'll pick up here tomorrow.

Christ Church

This crest on a wall inside Christ Church Cathedral caught my eye.

I photographed more of the stained glass windows.

Here in the chancel area, I paused to photograph around me.

The altar stained glass is particularly vivid.

I wanted some of the detail work of this chair.

Off to either side of the chancel are side chapels. One of them bears regimental colours on the walls. The other is this one, used for small services during the week.

I took this view of a garden courtyard from the corridor adjoining the church hall.

There is one more item of note beneath the church, a columbarium, where urns are interred. This angel was there.

Here we have a pair of stained glass windows at the far end of the columbarium.

And I finish with a view of the altar inside the small chapel leading into the columbarium.