Victoria Tower (Canada)
Encyclopedia
The Victoria Tower was the prominent main bell tower
of the original Centre Block
parliament building in Ottawa
, Canada
. The 55 metres (180.4 ft) high tower was the centre piece of Parliament Hill
that was constructed from 1859 to 1866 by Thomas Fuller
. It was destroyed during the great fire of the Centre Block on 3 February 1916. Its replacement, the Peace Tower
, was built on the same location but the design (larger clock face, ornamental Victoria High Gothic
vs. simplier Modern Gothic
) and height were radically changed. The original tower beared some similarities with the tower at the Parliament Building (Quebec)
(still standing).
Inside the walls of the tower was a vacant space with a series of staircases leading to the bell tower. The upper section of the bell tower had a spiral staircase that lead to the spire outside and inside the support and actual bells. Access to the tower was from the second floor of the Centre Block as the ground floor was empty space that formed the opening and entrace to the Centre Block.
The Victoria Tower Bell is the only relic remaining from the Victoria Tower. It was cast in 1875
and installed in the tower in 1877. The bell fell from the tower during the Centre Block fire of 1916. The actual tower structure (outer walls) survived the fire, but the upper bell tower had collapsed on February 3 and torn down during the reconstruction of the Centre Block.
The bell was restored in the year 2000
, and placed on the grounds of Parliament Hill as a monument to the 1916 fire and to Canada's first Centre Block parliamentary building. It is showcased on a circular granite
base, etched as the face of a clock, that represents its role in the keeping of time. The bell's inclined position recalls the angle at which it came to rest after falling during the fire of 1916.
Bell tower
A bell tower is a tower which contains one or more bells, or which is designed to hold bells, even if it has none. In the European tradition, such a tower most commonly serves as part of a church and contains church bells. When attached to a city hall or other civic building, especially in...
of the original Centre Block
Centre Block
The Centre Block is the main building of the Canadian parliamentary complex on Parliament Hill, in Ottawa, Ontario, containing the Commons and Senate chambers, as well as the offices of a number of Members of Parliament and Senators, as well as senior administration for both legislative houses...
parliament building in Ottawa
Ottawa
Ottawa is the capital of Canada, the second largest city in the Province of Ontario, and the fourth largest city in the country. The city is located on the south bank of the Ottawa River in the eastern portion of Southern Ontario...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. The 55 metres (180.4 ft) high tower was the centre piece of Parliament Hill
Parliament Hill
Parliament Hill , colloquially known as The Hill, is an area of Crown land on the southern banks of the Ottawa River in downtown Ottawa, Ontario. Its Gothic revival suite of buildingsthe parliament buildings serves as the home of the Parliament of Canada and contains a number of architectural...
that was constructed from 1859 to 1866 by Thomas Fuller
Thomas Fuller
Thomas Fuller was an English churchman and historian. He is now remembered for his writings, particularly his Worthies of England, published after his death...
. It was destroyed during the great fire of the Centre Block on 3 February 1916. Its replacement, the Peace Tower
Peace Tower
The Peace Tower is a focal bell and clock tower, sitting on the central axis of the Centre Block of the Canadian parliament buildings in Ottawa, Ontario. The present incarnation replaced the Victoria Tower after the latter burned down in 1916, along with most of the Centre Block...
, was built on the same location but the design (larger clock face, ornamental Victoria High Gothic
Gothic Revival architecture
The Gothic Revival is an architectural movement that began in the 1740s in England...
vs. simplier Modern Gothic
Gothic Revival architecture
The Gothic Revival is an architectural movement that began in the 1740s in England...
) and height were radically changed. The original tower beared some similarities with the tower at the Parliament Building (Quebec)
Parliament Building (Quebec)
The Parliament Building is an eight-floor building and home to the Parliament of Quebec in Quebec City. The building was designed by architect Eugène-Étienne Taché and was built from 1877 to 1886. With the frontal tower, the building stands at 52 metres or 171 feet in height...
(still standing).
Interior
Victoria Tower Bell
1875 in Canada
-Events:*January 14 - The Halifax Herald is first published*January 18 - 1875 Ontario election: Sir Oliver Mowat's Liberals win a second consecutive majority*April 5 - The Supreme Court of Canada is created...
and installed in the tower in 1877. The bell fell from the tower during the Centre Block fire of 1916. The actual tower structure (outer walls) survived the fire, but the upper bell tower had collapsed on February 3 and torn down during the reconstruction of the Centre Block.
The bell was restored in the year 2000
2000 in Canada
Events from the year 2000 in Canada.-Incumbents:Estimated Canadian population: 30,790,834-January to June:*January 1 - The magnitude 5.2 Kipawa earthquake occurs in Ontario and Quebec, Canada...
, and placed on the grounds of Parliament Hill as a monument to the 1916 fire and to Canada's first Centre Block parliamentary building. It is showcased on a circular granite
Granite
Granite is a common and widely occurring type of intrusive, felsic, igneous rock. Granite usually has a medium- to coarse-grained texture. Occasionally some individual crystals are larger than the groundmass, in which case the texture is known as porphyritic. A granitic rock with a porphyritic...
base, etched as the face of a clock, that represents its role in the keeping of time. The bell's inclined position recalls the angle at which it came to rest after falling during the fire of 1916.
Source
- Public Works and Government Services Canada