Senate of Canada Building

The Senate of Canada Building is a government administration building in downtown Ottawa featuring five-story limestone columns and glass panels along its eastern facade on Rideau Street. The structure combines Beaux-Arts architecture with modern elements and currently serves as temporary housing for the Canadian Senate.

The building was constructed between 1909 and 1912 as Union Station and functioned as a railway terminal until 1966. After its conversion to a government conference center, it later gained prominence as a location for important constitutional discussions.

The main waiting room displays classical Roman-inspired design with a barrel-vaulted ceiling decorated with intricate patterns and four columns reminiscent of ancient bath houses. This architectural approach creates a formal space that reflects the importance of the institutions now working within it.

The building is easily accessible on foot from the city center and sits strategically near other government buildings along Rideau Street. Visitors should note that this is an active government building and access may be restricted in certain areas.

The building hosted crucial discussions in 1981 that resulted in the repatriation of the Canadian Constitution and established the foundation for the Charter of Rights and Freedoms. This constitutional moment made it a symbolically important location in modern Canadian political history.

Location: Ottawa

Inception: 1910s

Architects: Bradford Gilbert, Ross and Macdonald

Architectural style: Beaux-Arts

Part of: Confederation Square

Address: 2 Rideau Street

GPS coordinates: 45.42450,-75.69370

Latest update: December 7, 2025 19:31