Work begins
Construction of the original Centre Block begins.
Source 1PARLIAMENT HILL · OTTAWA
The
Peace Tower.
A landmark built to remember.
A story still being written.
Behind the familiar clock face is a history of fire, rebuilding and remembrance. Meet the tower, the building that came before it, and the people preserving it for the next generation.
AN INDEPENDENT GUIDEHISTORY · ARCHIVES · VISITING
Explore the photographic essay
A PERSONAL VIEW OF THE HILL
Through our lens.
The light. The details. The people behind the lens.
See the full photographic essay
A different way of seeing.
A moment on the Hill.
01 / THE STORY
One hill.
Two towers.
A lasting symbol.
The tower in the oldest photographs of Parliament Hill is not the Peace Tower we know today.
The original Centre Block had a different centrepiece: the Victoria Tower. Fire devastated that building in February 1916. The Library of Parliament survived, and a new Centre Block rose around a new national memorial.
Designed by John A. Pearson and Jean-Omer Marchand, the replacement building retained Parliament Hill's Gothic Revival character. The Peace Tower was completed in 1927. Parks Canada: heritage designation
Fire on the Hill
The original Centre Block and Victoria Tower are lost.
Read the storyA return to Parliament
The replacement Centre Block partially reopens.
Source 1A tower for peace
The Peace Tower is inaugurated on July 1.
Source 2Care for the future
A major rehabilitation is underway.
See what's changing02 / FROM THE ARCHIVE
Before. During. After.
Three photographs.
A turning point in Canada's history.
The original Parliament
The Victoria Tower dominates the original Centre Block. Look at the shorter tower, its roofline and the different proportions of the building.
D.A. McLaughlin / Library and Archives Canada / C-003760 · Archive record
A night of destruction
J.B. Reid's photograph records the blaze at 12:30 a.m., shortly before the tower collapsed, according to the archival description.
J.B. Reid / Library and Archives Canada / C-010079 · Archive record
The morning after
The scale of the loss becomes clear in William James Topley's photograph. The decision to rebuild would transform the Hill.
William James Topley / Library and Archives Canada / PA-009249 · Image & record details
Archival reproductions, not Peace Tower brand photography. Copyright-expired images; full source and reuse details below. Select a photograph to view it larger.
THE NIGHT THAT CHANGED THE HILL
February 3, 1916.
And the doors
that held.
The fire destroyed a building.
Seven people lost their lives.
Fire began in the Centre Block reading room while Parliament was sitting. It spread through the building, leaving the original tower and much of the structure in ruins.
The Library survived in large part because of a separation built into its design: a connecting hallway and iron fire doors. Library clerk Michael MacCormac ordered those doors closed. Library of Parliament: Fire!
Parliament resumed in the Victoria Memorial Museum, now the Canadian Museum of Nature. Rebuilding began in 1916, and the new Centre Block partially reopened in 1920. Parks Canada: Parliament's temporary home
Were there other Parliament fires?
Yes, but they belong to different chapters. The 1849 fire destroyed the pre-Confederation Parliament buildings in Montréal, not the Peace Tower. In 1952, fire damaged the Library of Parliament on the Ottawa site. Neither should be confused with the 1916 Centre Block disaster. Library of Parliament's fire history
03 / BUILT TO REMEMBER
More than
a clock tower.
The Peace Tower is a memorial.
Its meaning reaches well beyond the skyline.
A landmark above the Hill
Its height makes it the dominant feature of Parliament Hill. Four clock faces look out across the city.
A voice of bronze
The carillon's 53 bells are played with a keyboard and pedals. The instrument is being restored, and the tower's chimes are currently silent.
The Memorial Chamber
Near the tower's base, a solemn chamber honours Canadians who died in service. Its floor includes stone from European battlefields.
READ FURTHER / SOURCES & IMAGE CREDITS
History deserves
good sources.
This is an independent editorial guide by Peace Tower, the Canadian apparel brand. It is not an official Parliament website or a ticket seller.
Archival images are reproduced as historical documents. Contemporary tower photographs and portraits were supplied by the Peace Tower owner. Capture dates have not been confirmed; consult official notices for today’s conditions.
Historical & visitor sources
- PSPC · The Centre Block: A Canadian iconOriginal construction, the 1916 fire and the 1920 reopening
- Canadian Parliamentary Review · Fire on Parliament HillJuly 1, 1927 inauguration and historical photo references
- Parks Canada · Centre Block heritage designationArchitecture, architects and construction dates
- Library of Parliament · Fire!Library survival and the separate 1849 and 1952 fires
- PSPC · Peace Tower: History and designHeight, clock, carillon and Memorial Chamber
- Senate of Canada · Rehabilitation update, September 28, 2026Foundation, scaffolding, modernization and projected schedule
- Parliament of Canada · Plan your visitCurrent booking, entry and visitor requirements
Photography, archival rights & brand assets
- Original Centre Block: D.A. McLaughlin / Library and Archives Canada / C-003760, c. 1880. LAC record: copyright expired, no use restrictions. Digital reproduction via Wikimedia Commons.
- Fire: J.B. Reid / Library and Archives Canada / C-010079, February 4, 1916. LAC record: copyright expired, no use restrictions. Digital reproduction via Wikimedia Commons.
- Aftermath: William James Topley / Library and Archives Canada / PA-009249, February 4, 1916. Wikimedia Commons lists public-domain status in Canada and the United States; archival source MIKAN 3364043.
- Wordmark and apparel image: existing Peace Tower storefront assets. The product image is a retail mockup, not a documentary photograph.
- Contemporary tower photographs supplied by the Peace Tower owner for this guide. Tower photographer credits and capture dates are awaiting confirmation. Photographer portraits: D. Keddy Photography. Original colour and photographic content are preserved. The Centennial Flame is a present-day landmark, not the 1916 Parliament fire.
About this guide
An independent guide by Peace Tower, the Canadian apparel brand. Shop links lead to the Peace Tower store; visitor links lead to official sources. For current access, tour availability and construction information, consult the linked official notices.