History
Built in 1857, The Library of Parliament is one of Canada's greatest architectural masterpieces. It sits on a peninsula overlooking the Ottawa river, which separates Quebec and Ontario. The library is attached to the back of the Canadian capitol building, and was built because fireproofing precautions had to be taken with the pieces of literature and art that would be stored there. The library is the only remaining piece of the original Canadian Parliament building from the year it was built, when Ottawa was named the capital of Canada.
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Architecture
The Library of Parliament is built in the classic British Gothic style, since the British were still in control of Canada during the time in which it was built. There are sixteen flying buttresses on the outside of the library, and the stones used on the exterior are a number of different colors. The four different types of stone used are grey Gloucester limestone, grey Nepean, red Potsdam, and Ohio sandstone, and were all mined from Canadian quarries. The roof was originally made of purple and green slate tiles, but was replaced by copper when a tornado came through in 1888 and ripped off most of them.
Interior
The main room of the Library has often been called "the most beautiful room in Canada." In the center is a statue of Queen Victoria, who is also featured on the country's currency. The ceiling is a latticework of beams that support the domed roof overhead. The woodwork is soft pine, carved with intricate pictures of flora, fauna, and mythical creatures. Windows let sunlight in from above the main room, giving it a spacious and open feel while still preserving its reverent grandeur. There is only one corridor leading into the library, with an iron door at the end to prevent fire from destroying all of the works inside.
Purpose and Uses
While the Library Parliament is only open to the members of Parliament themselves, the public is able to take tours and see the historical building. The library is home to over 12,000 physical texts, and even more on CD's and other forms of digital storage. The library nominates a Poet Laureate every two years, to emphasize the importance of written poetry and to write important pieces for Parliament events. All in all, the building's main purpose is to preserve priceless pieces of history that can never be recreated.
