Second Supreme Court of Canada Building, Federal judicial building at Wellington Street, Ottawa, Canada
The Second Supreme Court of Canada Building is a granite federal courthouse on Wellington Street in Ottawa, with a central block of seven bays and projecting corner pavilions. It sits on a high bluff above the Ottawa River, and its copper roofs are visible from the water.
Before this building was completed in 1940, the Supreme Court had met in committee rooms on Parliament Hill and then in a building on Bank Street. Moving into a dedicated home gave the country's highest court a permanent, independent presence for the first time.
Two sculptures flank the entrance steps, representing Truth and Justice, made by sculptor Walter S. Allward. His work is also known from the Vimy Memorial in France, making this entrance a rare place to see his art on Canadian soil.
The building is on Wellington Street and easy to spot from the road; the entrance is also straightforward to find from the river side. Inside, the main courtroom has accessibility features and modern audio-visual equipment for those attending hearings.
The Grand Entrance Hall is lined with walls of rubané marble, and busts of former Chief Justices are placed along the room. The interior wood paneling is made from Australian Blackwood and zebrawood, two materials one would not expect to find in a Canadian government building.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 60,000 contributors worldwide.
