The Canadian Parliament in Ottawa is one of the most recognizable landmarks in the country. One of three separate Gothic Revival-style buildings, the Centre Block contains the House of Commons and Senate chambers. The 92-metre Peace Tower acts as the central gateway to the complex, serving as an enduring Canadian icon, although it owes its existence to a devastating fire that destroyed the majority of the original block. 

Built in the 1860s, the original Centre Block was completed before the Dominion of Canada was officially formed in 1867. It was dominated by the 55-metre Victoria Tower, which caught fire in 1916. The bell tower was completely obliterated, along with most of the Centre Block, with only the rear Library of Parliament surviving after its large metal doors were closed. The image below shows the Centre Block as it looked before it was destroyed. 

Centre Block of the Canadian Parliament in Ottawa, circa 1910s, image via Wikimedia Commons

With a design team led by John A. Pearson and Jean-Omer Marchand, construction began on a replacement block almost immediately. The Peace Tower became the centrepiece of the new structure in 1922, serving as a memorial to the lives lost during the First World War, which had ended just four years earlier. The soaring clock tower has since become a commemoration of all Canadian war efforts, as well as a popular tourist attraction which invites visitors to take in the views from its observation deck. 

Centre Block of the Canadian Parliament in Ottawa, December 27, 2015, image by Jack Landau

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