Where Gumbo Was #375
Gumbo was visiting the tallest structure in the Canadian House of Parliament complex, namely its Peace Tower. Congratulations to George G who again recognized where Gumbo was.
Standing nearly 98 meters (321 ft) tall, the Peace Tower is about the height of a 30 story building. With a Canadian flag flying high, it’s one of the most recognized symbols of Canada and looks good in color, black and white, or in lite up at night.
(Courtesy Wikimedia and Jonathankslim)
(Courtesy Wikimedia and Dennis Jarvis)
The Peace Tower has a large (4.8 m) clock near its top, a gift to Canada from the United Kingdom in 1927 on the 60th anniversary of Canadian Confederation. There’s a clock face on each of the four sides of the tower, and accurate time is kept by the atomic clock in Ottawa.
The Peace Tower was completed in 1927, replacing the 55-metre (180 ft) Victoria Tower after the latter burned down in 1916, along with most of the Centre Block; only the Library of Parliament survived. It was named “Peace Tower” after the end of World War I, when plans for its construction were undertaken.
(Window of the Memorial Chamber)
(grotesque outside of Parliament)
Self-guided tours of the Peace Tower are available. You enter security screening at the base of the tower and work your way through the lower parts of the lovely building, constructed of fossil-rich Tyndall stone from a quarry in Manitoba.
After waiting in a que, you enter an elevator that takes you towards the top of the tower. Your first stop is the observation level from which you’ll see some of the finest views of Ottawa.
You can spot the National Gallery of Canada….
The Chateau Laurier….
The roof of the Library of Parliament, and behind it the Ottawa River….among many other sights.
The Peace Tower has a fine carillon (tower bells), among the oldest in North America, including 53 bells ranging from 10,090 kilograms to 4.5 kilograms. The carillon is played from a large keyboard, like an organ. In the summer there are carillon concerts.
From the observation deck, you descend to the Memorial Chamber, a solemn room near the base of the Peace Tower. The room is built of marble and is dedicated to the Canadians who died in wars around the world.
The Memorial Chamber is thoughtfully constructed including a floor made of stones from European battlefields and stained glass windows showing the journey of soldier.
There is a massive stone altar at it’s center, with seven smaller altars around the room, each holding a different Book of Remembrance. Each book contains the names of the Canadians who fought and died in the service of Canada during a specific conflict. The books are displayed in glass cases, and at 11 am each day, a single page is turned so that in time all names can be viewed.
I never miss visiting the Peace Tower when in Ottawa. If for no other reason, the views of the city on a clear day are special, but so is the solemn atmosphere in the Memorial Chamber.
