East and West Memorial Buildings

The East and West Memorial Buildings are two modern structures with limestone facades and copper roofs that face each other along Wellington Street in downtown Ottawa. The pair stands connected by a monumental arch featuring a marble relief sculpture underneath, creating a unified composition within the streetscape.

Built between 1949 and 1962, these structures were created to honor Canadian military personnel who died during World War II. The project emerged as part of Ottawa's postwar reconstruction efforts and a broader movement to establish places of remembrance for those who served.

The Memorial Arch between the two buildings displays sculptural work commemorating those who served during World War II. Visitors can see how the archway marks a moment of remembrance within the busy downtown streetscape, connecting past sacrifice to present-day public life.

These buildings sit in the heart of Ottawa along Wellington Street and are easy to reach on foot from other downtown areas and government offices. Visitors can view the exteriors and the memorial arch at any time, with access centered on outdoor views of the structures.

The granite frame beneath the memorial arch incorporates design elements drawn from the Canadian Memorial at Vimy Ridge. This subtle connection between two separate monuments creates an architectural continuity that links different sites of remembrance.