Dominion Observatory - Ottawa, Ontario
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Weathervane
N 45° 23.609 W 075° 42.858
18T E 444088 N 5026911
Built between 1883 and 1889, the Dominion Observatory is an excellent example of an eclectic blend of Romanesque Revival and Edwardian Classicist styles.
Waymark Code: WM11YF7
Location: Ontario, Canada
Date Posted: 01/11/2020
Views: 5
The Dominion Observatory is a symmetrical, two-storey, stone building that features a central, four-storey octagonal tower flanked by two “T”-shaped flat-roofed wings, which are oriented at a 15º angle away from the tower. In 1905, the one-storey transit house was added to the western wing and housed the meridian circle telescope and transit instruments used to determine time, longitude and star positions. The tower, which is capped by a retractable copper dome and serves as the main entrance to the building, formerly housed the observatory’s equatorial telescope. Located at the north edge of the Central Experimental Farm on a campus-like site bounded by Carling Avenue and Observatory Drive, the Dominion Observatory forms a picturesque ensemble with the South Azimuth building (1912) and the Photo Equatorial building (1914) which formerly played supporting roles in the Observatory’s scientific endeavours. The designation is confined to the footprint of the building.
Architectural value:
The Dominion Observatory is an excellent example of an eclectic blend of Romanesque Revival and Edwardian Classicist styles. Carefully planned by the founding scientists, the functional design of the building’s research facilities originally accommodated the requirements of a small scientific department and has proven to be adaptable to new uses. A very good example of David Ewart’s work, the building successfully combined aesthetics with the original functional requirements, making it well-suited to both the scientific activities it housed, as well as fulfilling the government’s desire for a building that would express the federal and national importance of the institution.
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