peace tower

渥太华 和平塔peace tower，渥太华国会山的标志性建筑，塔楼很高，上面有大钟，可以到塔顶，近距离看到大钟。免费参观，还有工作人员免费解说。

Beautiful view of all of Ottawa and some of Quebec. Very interesting and informative guard explained some of the sights we were looking at.

The Capital of Canada and FREE admission! Beautiful view of the City from a historical fixture in the heart of Ottawa. Not always open, check before you go, run by the Department of Public Works and the the actual Parliamentary tours people.

Ottawa being my home town, I took the obligatory tour of the Parliament Buildings and Peace Tower in grade 3 with my class and didn't really go back inside for another 40 years, when I finally decided to take my young son to see the Peace Tower. It was a very meaningful experience for both of us. The great, stone walls of the buildings oozed with history and we became keenly aware of our Canadian identity. The trip to the top of the Peace tower was awe-inspiring and brought back many memories for me of the old elevator they continue to use today. But most meaningful was the visit to the memorial room for all the soldiers of the first and second world wars. We were able to look up our relatives who participated and who had lost their lives in the war(s) and could apply for a certificate which came in the mail a few weeks later, free of charge.Excellent, most Canadian thing you can see or do while in the Nation's capital. Glad I re-visited it. Hope you go too. Get there at the right time and the right day, and you will also be able to see the changing of the guards ceremony in all its military splendour.Wonderful.

Well, we had some issues with my husband forgetting about the phone in his back pocket, and then an elusive torch long buried in the bottom of an old backpack (very amusing), but once we got through the security checks and up to tower it was worth the hassle.This is a free attraction which makes it even better, and the buildings around are a beautiful mix of old and new. Worth a visit.

I went with my boyfriend to see the Parliament building and one of the things we did was go up the Peace Tower. It was worth the wait to see the fantastic views. The windows were a little dirty/foggy which didn't make for good quality pictures but just looking with your eyes....wow.Don't miss the memorial room on your way down. There is really neat artwork reflecting all the major wars that Canada was involved in and Canadians have fought and died in.

Absolutely breathtaking views, a must visit for your trip to the capital. We got to climb down the stairs as the elevator went out of order suddenly. The kids loved it though.

Great views, however, some of the windows have lost their vacuum so hard to see or take a picture through.

You have to wait for people to come down as small groups go up. We usually choose not to wait, but the view is quite nice from the top.

Fantastic view of the frozen canal, could even see the skaters.You can see the bells as you take the elevator up through a glass panel. Be sure to stop in the memorial room on the way back down, recognizing all the major wars Canadians have fought in.

This was probably the highlight of the tour, even though it was independently done prior to the tour I had of parliament. Really amazing view, and very well laid out with how to identify other significant buildings that are visible. The architecture was gorgeous, and staff do not rush you. Some areas are hard to squish into in order to see certain angles for the gargoyles, but otherwise well laid out.

While you are on the Parliament Hill, you have to visit the Peace Tower. You can enter the building even if you do not have a ticket for guided tour. My suggestion would be to get there early (before the change of guard), so that you don't have to stand in a long lineup, as they are very long after the Change of Guard. Since we live in the area, I take my kids there at least once a year. We go to the Peace tower first (around 9:00). We love the views and there are nice informative plates showing the buildings you can see from the windows. My kids love to find the "finding game" and find all the buildings shown on the plates. We stop by the Memorial Chamber on our way down. The kids love to look at the beautiful carvings and each time we go, they find something new that they have not noticed before. We go down just before 10:00 to watch the Change of Guard. Perfect morning!

Try to go early to see the Tower for it tends to get very crowded the later you go. Enter the tour at the base of the Tower. You can opt to get a time-slot to visit Parliament or go see the Tower. It's a quick elevator ride up to the Tower but there's a line to wait for the elevator. Once up in the Tower, the exhibit is wonderful. You can see many views from all sides. There are many guides just waiting to answer any questions you may have. The Guides are friendly and know a lot of history of the Tower and Canada. There's a "Memorial" room off to the side that's a must-see. The exhibit is very clean and organized. There is no cost to go up in the Tower. I would recommend this tour.

We were lucky in that we caught a space when the crowds had died slightly. Normally you can queue for up to an hour apparently... We were lucky to be there for just 20 minutes. The tour itself is interesting and educational but the real treat is the view from Peace Tower. (If you're tall enough to see out the small windows). My girlfriend was a little too short to see comfortably. Also the glass or perspex windows are aged and whitened so clarity is not 100%. A few small changes would improve the experience greatly. Replace the perspex and make the views more accessible to people under 5'7 and it would be better.

Expect a bit of a line both outside and inside. You also need to go through security, including a metal detector. I would not take very young kids but older kids with a bit of patience would be fine. The lines moved along enough to keep us from feeling "stuck". The Peace Tower, which you access by stairs and a small elevator, offers beautiful views. Good signage to help you identify the buildings and landmarks you can see are below each window. On the way down you can stop in the Memorial room that is a tribute to Canadian citizens who have lost their life in military service to their country. Overall, well worth doing if you are looking to experience a bit of culture and beauty.