British Columbia Parliament Buildings

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The Parliament Buildings

Another view

The British Columbia Parliament Buildings are located in Victoria, British Columbia and serve as the seat of the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia.

The Speaker and the Sergeant-At-Arms are amongst those responsible for the legislative precincts, which by statute includes the Parliament Buildings.

The buildings face north on Belleville street facing the inner harbour and diagonally across from The Empress Hotel. A large statue of Queen Victoria stands on its front lawn as well a statue of a soldier to commemorate the province's World War I, World War II and Korean War dead. Atop the central dome is a gold-covered statue of Captain George Vancouver. Free tours of the facility are offered throughout the week.

[edit] History

Construction of a new Parliament Building was first authorized by an act of the provincial legislature in 1893, the Parliament Buildings Construction Act. The province, anxious to show its growing economic, social and political status, was engaged in an architectural competition to build a new legislative building in Victoria, after the previous wooden building (colloquially known as "The Birdcages") was destroyed by fire in 1895. Francis Rattenbury, a recent English immigrant entered and signed his drawings with the pseudonym "A B.C. Architect", eventually winning the competition, despite being only 25 years old.

Despite many problems, including going over-budget by $400,000, the British Columbia Legislative Building was officially opened in 1898. The grand scale of its 500-ft long facade, central dome and two end pavilions, the richness of its white marble, and its use of the currently-popular Romanesque Revival style contributed to its being seen as an impressive monument for the new province. Its success garnered Rattenbury many more commissions in Victoria and other parts of the province, including additional buildings adjacent to the main facility in 1913-1915 and the design of The Empress Hotel.

Besides the elected Members of the Legislative Assembly, two organizations have been granted the privilege of using the Legislative Chambers during the legislature's December recess: the British Columbia Youth Parliament (since 1924, except during its sessions in the late 1940s and early 1950s) and the British Columbia Universities' Model Parliament.

During the 1994 Commonwealth Games, free music concerts were held on the front lawns of the Buildings, attracting up to 40,000 people.