Centre Block

Centre Block
Centre Block, 2013
Map
General information
Architectural styleGothic Revival
Town or cityOttawa, Ontario
CountryCanada
Coordinates45°25′30″N 75°42′00″W / 45.425°N 75.700°W / 45.425; -75.700
Construction started1859
Reconstruction:
24 July 1916
Renovation:
2018-2031
CompletedCurrent building:
1 July 1927; 97 years ago (1927-07-01)
ClientThe Queen in Right of the United Kingdom (1859)
The King in Right of Canada (1916)
OwnerThe King in Right of Canada
Design and construction
Architect(s)John A. Pearson and Jean-Omer Marchand

The Centre Block (French: Édifice du Centre) is the main building of the Canadian parliamentary complex on Parliament Hill, in Ottawa, Ontario, containing the House of Commons and Senate chambers, as well as the offices of a number of members of parliament, senators, and senior administration for both legislative houses. It is also the location of several ceremonial spaces, such as the Hall of Honour, the Memorial Chamber, and Confederation Hall.

Built in the Gothic Revival style, the present Centre Block is the building's second iteration. The first was destroyed by fire in 1916; all that remains of the original building is the Library of Parliament, at the rear of the Centre Block. Though construction began immediately after the blaze, sculpting work on the interior continued through the 1970s. Then, from 2018, MPs were moved elsewhere for renovations lasting until 2031.

One of the most recognizable buildings in Canada, the Centre Block is depicted on the Canadian $10 bill (the Library of Parliament), $20 bill (the Peace Tower), and the $50 bill.