Queen's Gates

The Queen's Gates are two cast iron doors set within a stone fence along Wellington Street, with decorative stone pillars flanking either side. The structure displays Victorian architecture with gothic details that mark the main access point to the parliamentary grounds.

The gates were installed in 1876 during the reign of Queen Victoria and have served as Parliament Hill's primary entrance since then. They have remained a fixture of Ottawa's political landscape for over 140 years.

The gates bear the name of the reigning monarch and serve as a symbolic starting point for visitors entering the parliamentary grounds. They mark a threshold between the street and the seat of Canadian government.

The gates are located at street level along Wellington Street, where visitors can view and photograph them from the sidewalk at any time. The area gets busier during peak visiting times, so visiting early in the day often gives a more peaceful experience.

The central iron gates are surprisingly heavy at nearly 1000 kilogrammes, requiring specialized lifting equipment when removed for recent restoration work. This substantial weight speaks to their solid construction and the importance of their role as the primary ceremonial entrance.