Memorial Chamber

A central component of the Peace Tower is the Memorial Chamber, dedicated to the Canadian men and women who have given their lives in the service of their country.

The design of the Chamber is Gothic Revival. However, its high stained-glass windows, cusped arches and fan-vaulted ceiling create an atmosphere more in keeping with the memorial chapel of a cathedral.

The Memorial Chamber is rich with symbolism. The floor is made of stones taken from the World War I battlegrounds where Canadians fought. The walls and columns are faced with stone from France and Belgium; the two countries where Canadians saw the most combat. At the centre of the Chamber stands the central Altar carved from a block of Hopton Wood, the same British stone used for the tombstones in military cemeteries.

The central Altar, and similar altars in the Chamber, contains the Books of Remembrance, inscribed with the names of Canadians who have died in battle.