Updated: 10/25/2014

The Peace Tower

A memorial that is often overlooked in Ottawa, Canada's capital city, is the Peace Tower of the Parliament Buildings. It is one of the most recognizable features of the Parliament Buildings, but its original purpose as a memorial to "the valour of those Canadians who, in the Great War, fought for the liberties of Canada, of the Empire, and of humanity" in the words of Prime Minister Robert Borden at the site dedication in 1917, is often forgotten.

The Memorial Chamber

On the second floor of the Peace Tower is the Memorial Chamber. The chamber is a small, yet tall room in the gothic style. It is 24 ft square, and 47 ft high. Stained glass windows fill the upper part of the walls. On the lower portion of the walls are 17 niches, each containing a marble plaque telling part of Canada's war story, from both before and after World War I.

In the centre of the chamber is the Altar of Remembrance, which holds the First World War Book of Remembrance. The other six Canadian books of remembrance rest on smaller altars around the edges of the chamber.

The paving stones on the floor of the chamber commemorate battles in which Canadians have fought.

Take a Virtual Tour of the Memorial Chamber courtesy of the Parliament of Canada.

Turning of the Page Ceremony

Every day since 1942, House of Commons security staff have made sure that pages are turned in the seven Books of Remembrance. A calendar has been worked out to ensure that each page in each book is turned once a year.

That means that you can consult the staff to find out when a particular page will be displayed and arrange to be there to see it.

Further Information

You can search the Books of Remembrance and you can also request a copy of a specific page.