Parliament Hill (On Guard for Thee) - Ottawa, Ontario

When the GCAT crew hit the Parliament buildings in Ottawa we couldn't help but have a little fun stealing a page from Beatles lore as we crossed the sidewalk towards the magnificent buildings. With the RCMP looking on and giving us an approving rock and roll salute we all had a good laugh outside our gorgeous nation's capitol.

Few Canadian symbols are as well known as the Parliament Buildings. With its distinctive Peace Tower and gorgeous Gothic architecture it is a familiar sight to all Canadians and many people around the world. Although the buildings are alive with the drama of modern day debates, the echoes of personalities long since past still linger there.

In 1857, Queen Victoria chose the rough-and-ready lumber town of Ottawa over the established cities of Toronto, Kingston, Montréal and Québec City as our capitol, and the final buildings that we see today were completed in 1927.

The Parliament Buildings are comprised of the Senate, the House of Commons, the Library of Parliament and the Peace Tower. The Peace Tower is the centerpiece standing 92.2-metres high and contains an observation area and the Carillon, a series of 53 bells weighing from 4.5 kg to 10,090 kg. The inside of the buildings is just as stunning as they are filled with limestone walls, painted ceilings, marble statues and stone sculptures, cherry and oak floors, and a palpable history that few other buildings in Canada possess.

Each year, thousands of people take free guided tours of the Centre Block. When the Senate or the House of Commons is sitting, visitors can watch the action from the galleries while an audio guide explains the key players and activities. Special rooms in the East Block, recreated to look as they did in Sir John A. Macdonald's time, are also open to the public in the summer. Outdoor walking tours, self-guiding booklets, sound and light shows and the Changing the Guard Ceremony are just some of the activities that feature the history and majesty of the Parliament Buildings.

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