Visiting the Confederation Building, Ottawa, Ontario: Gothic Revival by C. J. Burritt, R. C. Wright and T. W. Fuller
Rugged and confident-seeming Federal Government building
Sharing responsibility for this most impressive Gothic Revival building in Ottawa, Ontario, were: Clarence Burritt (1874-1956), Richard Cotsman Wright (1860-1927) and Thomas W. Fuller (1865-1951) and (1). Building work commenced in 1927 and was completed in 1931. The official name of the structure is the Confederation Building of Canada (French: Edifice de la Confédération du Canada).
The Confederation Building is located at 111 Wellington Street (French: rue Wellington, 111) Ottawa, close to Parliament Hill (French: Colline du Parlement ).
Among the crowning features of the Building is the towered entrance area, where its two wings come together. It has highly conspicuous pinnacled and pointed roofing, executed in copper, with many inset dormer windows. The use of stone rustication contributes to giving the structure an especially rugged appearance.
Over the past decades this Dominion or Federal building has housed civil servants from a number of Government departments. A proportion of Members of Parliament also have their offices in the Confederation Building.
The stone building underwent a program of cleaning in 2008.
The Confederation Building of Canada has official designation as a Classified Federal Heritage Building. The style of the Building is widely recognized as being in keeping with the architecture of nearby Parliament Hill, to the west of which it stands.
For myself, I am somewhat reminded of similar, monumental buildings in Glasgow and Edinburgh, Scotland, where comparable, tall, stone structures are a feature of the urban landscape.
October 2, 2012
Note
(1) Architect Burritt is also known for having designed a number of other buildings in the Ottawa area. Both Architects Wright and Fuller served, respectively in their time, as Chief Dominion Architect, the latter succeeding the former. Both of them were responsible for many Dominion buildings across Canada.
Also worth seeing
In Ottawa itself, its many visitor attractions include: Parliament Hill (French: Colline du Parlement), the National Currency Collection (French: la Collection nationale de monnaies) at the nearby Bank of Canada (French: Banque du Canada), the Supreme Court of Canada Building (French: Edifice de la Cour Suprême du Canada), the Chateau Laurier, the National War Memorial of Canada (French: Le Monument commémoratif de guerre du Canada) Laurier House (French: Maison Laurier), and many others.
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How to get there: Air Canada flies from various North American destinations to Ottawa Macdonald-Cartier International Airport / Aéroport international Macdonald-Cartier d'Ottawa; car rental is available; however, visitors may wish instead to use OC Transpo public transit for travel within the Ottawa / Gatineau area. Please note that some facilities may be withdrawn, without notice. For up to date information, you are advised to check with the airline or your travel agent. Please refer to appropriate consular sources for any special border crossing arrangements which may apply to citizens of certain nationalities.
MJFenn is an independent travel writer based in Ontario, Canada.
Other of my hubpages may also be of interest
- Visiting the Currency Museum at the Bank of Canada, Ottawa, Ontario: brainchild of former Governor J
- Visiting the Supreme Court of Canada Building, Ottawa, Ontario: a chateau-style, Art Deco creation b
- Visiting Victoria Island, Ottawa, Ontario: First Nations heritage, and excellent views of Parliament
- Visiting Downtown Gatineau: hub of the fourth largest city in Quebec
- Visiting the tranquil Lake of the Isles, New York: the interior lake of Wellesley Island at Dewolf P
