As you step up to the foot of the Peace Tower, take a deep breath and look up-way up-at one of Ottawa’s most iconic sights. The Peace Tower is the beating heart of Parliament Hill, stretching 92 meters (or 302 feet if you ate your Wheaties this morning) into the sky. If it looks a little different from your average clock tower, that’s because it is; it’s got style, it’s got history, and it’s got more gargoyles than a season of gothic horror TV. Imagine nearly 370 stone faces peering down at you, each a guardian of this nation’s history-and possibly judging your selfie angles.
But let’s rewind to a cold night in 1916. The original Victoria Tower was destroyed by a raging fire that gutted the Centre Block, sparing only the magnificent Library of Parliament. Ottawa was left mourning, with nothing but charred stone and heartbreak. When the time came to rebuild, architects Jean Omer Marchand and John A. Pearson dreamed up something remarkable-a bell tower that would stand not just as a piece of architecture, but as a beacon of peace and remembrance at the close of the Great War. Thus, the Peace Tower rose, its stone walls built from Nepean sandstone and battlefield stones from Europe itself, creating a tapestry of memory and hope. As Pearson famously described the Memorial Chamber within the tower: it’s a “sacred grove in the middle of the forest,” a place etched with the names of those who fought and fell from the War of 1812 right up to the Korean War.
Step closer to the grand pointed arches at its base, and try to imagine the trumpets and crowds as the tower’s cornerstone was laid by the Prince of Wales in 1919. Picture marble columns, crafted from Hoptonwood limestone from England, Belgian black marble, and even stones from the fields of Flanders. They carry within them the weight of stories-battlefields where Canadians stood tall, and where Pearson himself searched for stone, determined to give each brick and slab its meaning.
Inside the Memorial Chamber, the air shifts; the stained glass windows shimmer with color. These aren’t just random patterns-look closely and you’ll spot Lady Justice, the archangel Michael, Joan of Arc, and Canadian soldiers amongst allegories of Victory, Progress, and peace. One window even brings to life lines from “In Flanders Fields”-as if you could hear John McCrae’s words echoing through the halls at 11 a.m. each day when the pages of the Books of Remembrance are solemnly turned.
Now, if you ever hear beautiful music ringing through the air, you’re getting a treat from the 53-bell carillon perched high within the tower. These bells-some big enough to weigh down your mood and others light enough to skip a stone across the Ottawa River-were first played live on Canada’s 60th birthday, broadcast from coast to coast. The largest bell weighs over 10,000 kg-and trust me, trying to sneak it home as a souvenir isn’t recommended (it won’t fit in your luggage). Since 2022, those bells have taken a break for a grand restoration, so no worries if the tower’s a bit quieter than usual-you won't be interrupted by an accidental encore.
Let’s talk clocks! Each face is nearly five meters (16 feet) across-so big even politicians can’t argue over what time it is. The time is precisely set, straight from the National Research Council’s time signal. Rumor has it, only once has someone raised the flag upside down-a small hiccup in an otherwise flawless routine where the flag gets swapped daily, and the old ones are mailed free to Canadians on a waiting list longer than the line for the nation’s best poutine.
High up, there’s an observatory that was once the tallest place you could stand in Ottawa, as strict height limits once kept the skyline humble. And if you think getting up there is tricky, just picture an elevator that travels at a 10-degree angle before shooting straight up-like the love child of a regular lift and a slow-motion rollercoaster. The elevator always stays level thanks to a gimbal-mounted frame, so don’t worry-unless you’ve had too many beavertails, you’ll always leave upright.
Standing outside in the present day, the Peace Tower remains a watchful guardian over Parliament Hill. Its carved creatures, ringing bells, and memorial stones hold the stories of wars fought, sacrifices made, and peace won. Through blizzards and protests, through quiet dawns and bustling celebrations, this tower endures-a timeless symbol that says: here, on this spot, Canada stands together, always remembering, always hoping, always a little bit gargoyle.
