1919 - Peace Tower - Ottawa, Ontario, Canada - Chronograms on Waymarking.com

The first clock tower in the Canadian parliament buildings burned down in 1916. The replacement tower, also known as the Tower of Victory and Peace, and its cornerstone were dedicated by Edward Prince of Wales in 1919. The Peace Tower commemorates the end of the Great War.

The cornerstone is in the east face of the tower on the corner nearest the Centre Block building. The chronogram in the cornerstone was designed by architect John Pearson. With cut squares, Pearson underlined letters which had numerical values in the Roman system. The sum of those numerical values results in 1919, the year of victory.

Originally, the bottom of the cornerstone did not include the carved date 1919. With some controversy, the carved date was added in 1946. Government bureaucrats with the department of Public Works contended that 99% of tourists did not have the arithmetical capacity to figure out the meaning of the chronogram. The carved date was added.

The building is now closed for repairs. It could be ten years before tours of the building resume.

Type of numerals used: Roman Text of the original chronogram: thIs stone was LaID by eDwarD prInCe of waLes sept Ist In thIs year of VICtory fInIs Coronat opVs Pure chronogram?: no Natural chronogram?: no Website explaining the chronogram: [Web Link] English translation of the chronogram: Not listed

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