The seat of Canadian government, Ottawa's Parliament Hill, is a beautiful grouping of three Gothic structures, Centre, East and West Blocks.

Visit www.parliamenthill.gc.ca/text/explorethehill_e.html (or www.parliamenthill.gc.ca/text/explorethehill_f.html, for French) if you haven't seen the usual pics of The Hill, because they're not here.

I'm interested in stonework and fossils, both of which exist in abundance on The Hill, and that's what this page will offer as I add to it.

Here are two to whet your appetite.

The tall cube of the Senate Foyer offers soaring Gothic arches supporting a stained glass ceiling depicting royal symbols, provincial coats of arms, and symbols of the founding peoples of Canada.

The stones of these and many of the interior walls of the parliament buildings are riddled with fossils and vugs – cavities filled with crystals.

The long, narrow corridor linking Centre Block to the Library of Parliament was suggested by Alpheus Todd, the first Librarian of Parliament. His idea, and heavy metal doors, saved the Library when the rest of Canada's first federal buildings were razed by fire in 1916.

The corridor comprises vaulted cells each with six windows that provide light to see by, and to bathe the vaults with light and shadow, highlighting the stonework. It's a brilliantly conceived construction that self-displays flawlessly.

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