Parliament Hill Tour - Centre Block

Visit the centre stage of Canadian democracy! During your guided tour, you may see the Senate and the House of Commons, the Hall of Honour and the Library of Parliament. Your tour will begin in the Visitor Welcome Centre (VWC), located on the ground floor of the Centre Block. The VWC offers basic visitor amenities as well as a small, varied-media exhibit which describes the history, roles and functions of Canada's parliamentarians. Visitor security has now been enhanced with the addition of a security screening system similar to those used in airports.

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The Centre Block is only one of the magnificent Gothic Revival buildings gracing Parliament Hill, but it is probably the one most quickly recognized by Canadians coast to coast. Home to the Senate, the House of Commons and the Library of Parliament, the Centre Block is an integral part of our heritage and a symbol of Canada's highly regarded parliamentary system. 

The current Centre Block was built to replace the original building destroyed in a spectacular fire in 1916. 

Photo: National Archives of Canada, PA-042598 

The Fire of 1916

According to Stanley Cameron, in the 1967 book "Stones of History: Canada's House of Parliament," the fire was first noticed at 8:50 p.m., on the night of February 3, 1916. 

A Member of Parliament noticed a small fire in the House of Commons Reading Room. He left the room and brought the fire to the attention of a constable stationed near the Speaker of the House of Commons' quarters. Within minutes, however, it was impossible to enter the Reading Room. The fire, fed by newspapers, books and the varnished woodwork, had spread out of control. 

Within minutes, the chief doorkeeper of the Commons had burst into the Chamber to alert the Members. His dire warning was reinforced by thick black smoke and flames, which soon appeared in the House of Commons Chamber. The Members fled, not stopping for hats or coats. 

Cameron writes, "Thirty minutes later came the first of five explosions, which lifted the roof and sent flames a hundred feet in the air. Soon the entire building was enveloped in flames. 

"Throughout the evening, as firemen, policemen, and soldiers battled the blaze, the clock in the tower kept tolling the hour. At midnight, the bell struck eleven times, failed to sound a twelfth time, and shortly after crashed to the ground. 

"By morning, the once glorious structure was a ruin of twisted iron and rubble smouldering behind a proud facade."

Rising From the Ashes

Rebuilding began almost immediately - despite the pressures of Canada's involvement in World War I. 

After the site was cleared of the rubble and plans were submitted to the Government, the reconstruction work officially began on July 24, 1916, under the direction of architects John A. Pearson and Jean-Omer Marchand. 

These photographs show the rebuilding of the Centre Block following the devastating fire in 1916. Of the original structure, only the Library of Parliament was saved. The present building opened in 1920.

In choosing Pearson and Marchand, the government evidently hoped to combine Pearson's knowledge and ability in the Gothic Revival style with Marchand's superior planning skills. The inspired collaboration of these two architects resulted in a classically planned building clothed in Gothic Revival dress.

Marchand's influence can be seen in the Centre Block's plan, which exhibits the design principles of the École des Beaux-Arts in Paris. The École des Beaux-Arts was one of the most influential school of art and architecture in the late-19th century and early-20th century. Marchand graduated from the school with honours in 1903. 

It is to Pearson that we owe the building's impressive collection of exterior stone carvings. Much of the exterior carving was done under his supervision. Pearson was also involved in all the aspects of the interior design, from the choice of building materials, to the colours and patterns of carpets and wallpaper for the "special rooms," the murals, and the ironwork of Paul Beau, to name but a few examples.

Centre Block: A Prestigious Address

Besides being the home to the Senate, the House of Commons and the Library of Parliament, the Centre Block also contains many important offices and facilities. These include the Prime Minister's Office, the Office of the Leader of the Opposition and those of other party leaders, the offices of many Senators, Ministers and Members of Parliament, House of Commons staff, several Parliamentary Committee rooms, the Parliamentary Press Gallery, and many others.

In this era of computers, fax machines and the Internet, all of these busy offices require a great deal of electricity, as well as space for advanced systems. To deal with these pressing needs, Public Works and Government Services Canada built the Centre Block Underground Services facility, known as "CBUS" for short.