Parliament Hill is a nine-hectare (0.09 km2) site in downtown Ottawa. It is home to Canada’s Parliament Buildings, the seat of the country’s federal government. Parliament Hill’s open grounds — a rarity among national parliaments — provide a place to gather for celebration or protest and are a National Historic Site. An excellent example of the gothic revival architecture style, the Parliament Buildings — Parliament (Centre Block) and two office buildings (East and West blocks) — officially opened on 6 June 1866. The Library of Parliament is the only part of the original Centre Block to have survived a fire in 1916. A Memorial Chamber and Peace Tower were added to the rebuilt Centre Block in honour of fallen First World War soldiers. The Centennial Flame was added to the grounds to mark Canada’s centennial in 1967. A $4.5–5 billion project to restore the Parliament Buildings began in 2002 and is due to be finished by 2031.
Parliament Hill in Ottawa is a visually striking complex of buildings located on a limestone outcrop overlooking the Ottawa River. It was proposed after Queen Victoria chose the small town for the new capital in 1857. Construction of the Parliament Buildings began in 1859. They were to provide more extensive space for a House of Commons and a Senate. The Parliament Buildings — comprising Parliament (Centre Block) and two administrative buildings (East and West blocks) — are set within a designed landscape in the picturesque tradition. The complex is also known as the Parliamentary Precinct. The site was once used as living quarters for the Royal Engineers who worked on the Rideau Canal and was known at the time as Barracks Hill. It was considered the obvious choice for the location of the Parliament Buildings. The hill was a local public meeting site before the buildings were constructed. After their completion, people continued to visit the grounds in honour of special occasions, such as royal jubilees, state funerals and other significant events. Public protests and rallies were recorded as early as the 1870s. Regular organized protests became more common after the Second World War. Parliament Hill’s open grounds are a rarity among national parliaments of the world. Vital to the Hill’s character today are both its celebrations, including annual Canada Day festivities and the ceremonial Changing of the Guard, and its role as a democratic forum for citizens. These functions combine to reinforce the Parliament Buildings as the centre and symbol of Canada's federal government.
Parliament Hill is on an approximately nine-hectare (0.09 km2) site. It is both named and officially delineated by the Parliament of Canada Act. It lays between the Ottawa River in the north and Wellington Street in the south, from the Supreme Court of Canada building in the west, to the Rideau Canal in the east. Within the Precinct, the Centre Block and the Parliamentary Library are centrally located at the hill's highest point near a steep escarpment. The East and West Blocks are on each side of the Centre Block. They create a public plaza facing the city's urban core. Directly to the southeast lies the National War Memorial and the National Arts Centre. The Bank of Canada is across the street to the southwest. Commemorative monuments of political and royal figures are found throughout the grounds. In 2000, Parliament's commemorative program widened to include an ensemble statue depicting the Famous Five women who spearheaded the Persons Case. The most notable monuments on the Hill were designed by prominent Canadian sculptors, such as Louis-Philippe Hébert, Walter Allward and Frances Loring