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When did Parliament Hill become a National Historic Site?
Is Parliament Hill a National Historic Site of Canada?
Why is Parliament Buildings a National Historic Site of Canada?
What is the history of the Parliament Buildings?
In 1976, the Parliament Buildings and the grounds of Parliament Hill were designated as National Historic Sites of Canada. Since 2002, an extensive $3 billion renovation-and-rehabilitation project has been underway throughout the precinct's buildings that is expected to be completed after 2028.
- Overview
- Timeline
- Pre-construction, 1826 to 1858
- Construction and expansion, 1859 to 1916
- The Fire of 1916
- Reconstruction, 1916 to 1920
- Parliament through the 20th century, 1921 to 2001
- Rehabilitation, 2002 to present
- More information
Learn about the events that transformed a solitary limestone cliff in the centre of a small logging town into a buzzing national capital landmark.
•Pre-construction, 1826 to 1858
•Construction and expansion, 1859 to 1916
•The Fire of 1916
•Reconstruction, 1916 to 1920
•Parliament through the 20th century, 1921 to 2001
•Rehabilitation, 2002 to present
Rideau Canal Locks and Barrack Hill, circa 1832 (Click to view enlarged image.)
•In 1826, Lieutenant-Colonel John By of the Royal Engineers begins to design and build the Rideau Canal. This navigable waterway will connect the Ottawa River in the north with Lake Ontario in the south. It will provide a secure shipping route between Montréal, Quebec, and Kingston, Ontario. The northern post of the canal is named Bytown.
•On January 1, 1855, Bytown officially incorporates as a city and renamed Ottawa. With a population of almost 7,800, the city borders English and French Canada. Just 14 years earlier, Upper and Lower Canada joined to become the United Province of Canada.
•On December 31, 1857, Queen Victoria is asked to select a location for the permanent capital of the United Province of Canada. At the time, the capital alternated between Toronto and Québec every four years. The Queen selects Ottawa because it sits far from the American border and it is situated on a cliff, making it easier to defend from a possible attack.
•On February 17, 1858, Ottawa is officially declared the capital of the United Province of Canada. The new, permanent legislature would be built on 25 acres of land atop a gently sloping limestone cliff. The "Hill," as it would be called, sits in the centre of town and overlooks the majestic Ottawa River. The new Parliament Buildings would include two legislative chambers and 170 offices. It would also house a picture gallery, library, 85 committee rooms, reading rooms, clerks' rooms and an apartment for the Speaker. All told, the space would total around 10,200 square metres.
•On May 7, 1859, the federal Department of Public Works organizes a competition for architects to submit their designs for the Centre Block, the Governor's residence and two departmental buildings. These two buildings, the East and West blocks, would form the new Parliament Buildings. In all, 298 proposals are submitted.
The Centre Block under construction. (Date of photo unknown) (Click to view enlarged image.)
Parliament's original Centre Block, circa 1914 (Click to view enlarged image.)
•On December 20, 1859, ground is broken for the new Parliament Buildings. The first stones—local Nepean sandstone—are laid in the spring of the following year. Red sandstone and Ohio freestone as well as grey and green slates for the roofs will be used.
•On September 1, 1860, Edward VII, then Prince of Wales, arrives in Ottawa amid pomp and ceremony to lay the cornerstone of the new legislature. The cornerstone is made of white marble and inscribed with the names of the designers and dignitaries.
•In early 1861, Public Works reports that the project has cost two-and-a-half times more than was planned and the project is stopped in September. In June 1862, a commission of inquiry investigates the project's management problems. Construction resumes the following year.
•On July 1, 1867, the Dominion of Canada is born. Not yet complete, the Parliament Buildings in Ottawa will become the seat of government for the four provinces: Ontario, Quebec, New Brunswick and Nova Scotia. Parliament's first session opens November 6, 1867.
Centre Block on fire (Click to view enlarged image.) (Credit: John Boyd / Library and Archives Canada / RD-000240.)
•At 8:37 p.m. on February 3, 1916, while the House of Commons is sitting, a fire starts in the Centre Block of the Parliament Buildings.
•A gentleman in the Reading Room notices something burning and calls it to the attention of a clerk, but it is already too late. Within minutes, the fire spreads to the corridors.
•Most are able to flee the building, through the heavy smoke, by crawling or forming human chains. As the fire intensifies, parts of the building start to collapse.
•Shortly after midnight, the Centre Block's Victoria Tower Bell crashes to the ground. A strong wind spreads the fire towards the senate.
•The fire department works through the night to control the blaze.
Centre Block with the Peace Tower under construction in April 1922 (Click to view enlarged image.) (Credit: Topley Studio Fonds / Library and Archives Canada / PA-033986.)
•On September 1, 1916, Prince Arthur, Duke of Connaught, laid the cornerstone the original cornerstone salvaged from the ruins. In doing so, he followed in the footsteps of his grandfather, the Prince of Wales, who had laid the cornerstone of the original Centre Block, A team of architects produced a design that, while similar to the original, used newly developed structural techniques and materials. The new Centre Block would also be larger and a full storey higher than the original building. To avoid another tragedy, instead of wood, interior walls are built with limestone and floors with marble. As well, corridors are more clearly laid out with easier access to the exits. The exterior frame is made of steel and covered with the same Nepean sandstone that was used in the original buildings. Because of the war, materials and labour were in short supply and expensive, slowing construction.
Jubilee Celebrations on Parliament Hill, July 1, 1927 (Click to view enlarged image.) (Credit: Library and Archives Canada/PA-027625.)
•On July 1, 1927, the 60th anniversary of Confederation and the Diamond Jubilee, Governor General Viscount Willingdon dedicates the new Peace Tower. He also inaugurates the carillon, whose bells play for the first time. Prime Minister William Lyon Mackenzie King previously decided that the Peace Tower would be a fitting monument to Canada's war dead. In his speech on that day, King broadcasts a moving and powerful commitment to peace across Canada.
•In 1952, an electrical short in the roof of the Library causes a fire. The fire nearly destroys the Library and, with it, the memories and the archives of a young nation. Firefighters desperately try to reach the flames by cutting through the metal roof of the dome and pouring water through. Although the fire was extinguished, the Library's interior and many of its collections were doused with water. The incident sparks a discussion about building a larger, more efficient library on the Hill. Public Works even produces new drawings. However, none of the designs are deemed worthy and the existing library is rehabilitated. A new National Library building (now the home of Library and Archives Canada) is built a few years later, west of the Hill, to relieve some of the pressure of the old library.
•In 1955, the Old Supreme Court building, built in 1889 and looking every bit as old, is demolished. The quest for more office space on the Hill continues. In 1961, there is serious discussion to replace both the East and West Blocks with modern office buildings. By the middle of the 20th century, modernist architecture—plain and functional—is becoming increasingly popular. The public was now considering the pre-war designs of the existing buildings as outdated. However, none of these demolition projects is carried out. Instead, the interior of the West Block is renovated with modern offices to replace the old Victorian rooms.
•In 2002, a major program to rehabilitate the Parliamentary Precinct begins. Projects to restore, renew and modernize the Parliamentary Precinct.
•Learn more about Parliament's history, arts and architecture
•Historical information about Parliament
Jan 8, 2012 · Background and Function. Parliament Hill in Ottawa is a visually striking complex of buildings located on a limestone outcrop overlooking the Ottawa River. It was proposed after Queen Victoria chose the small town for the new capital in 1857. Construction of the Parliament Buildings began in 1859.
Mar 4, 2024 · Barrack Hill as it was originally called underwent transformation in 1850s when chosen as new site for parliament buildings in Canada. The project was started with construction at the original Centre Block stage by Thomas Stent and Thomas Fuller, who were architects envisaging what became central in the legislative process within Canadian society.
May 26, 2024 · The Parliament Buildings‘ history begins in 1858, when Queen Victoria selected the rough lumber town of Ottawa to be the capital of the Province of Canada. Ottawa‘s scenic location on a cliff overlooking the Ottawa River was seen as a compromise between the rival cities of Montreal, Toronto, Quebec City and Kingston.
Parliament Buildings was designated a national historic site of Canada in 1976. This site is designated because: first occupied in 1865 by the departmental offices of the Province of Canada, the Gothic Revival style parliament buildings housed the new Government of Canada eighteen months later.
The Parliament Hill complex is designated Classified because it is, in its entirety, a symbol of Parliament and Canadian government; because it is one of the better Canadian examples of design at a larger scale; and because it has been the site of numerous nationally significant events and ceremonies.
