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After a visit to Casa Loma, I took a drive into downtown Toronto, parked the car, and walked to Nathan Phillips Square. It’s named for Nathan Phillips, the mayor of Toronto from 1955 to 1962. The square opened in 1965 and hold several popular events throughout the year, including concerts, farmers’ markets, and festivals.
The reflecting pool is turned into an outdoor skating rink in the winter. There is also a peace garden and several sculptures, including Three-Way Piece No. 2 (The Archer) by Henry Moore.
Toronto City Hall
The two curved towers situated on the square are Toronto City Hall. They were designed by Finnish architect Viljo Revell and completed in 1965.
Old City Hall
The new buildings replaced Old City Hall, which was built in 1899 by architect E. J. Lennox and is located across the street. When it was completed, Old City Hall was the largest civic building in North America. The most prominent feature (not pictured from this angle) is the 103.6m tall clock tower, which was the tallest structure in Canada until 1917.
Church of the Holy Trinity
Just steps from the square is the Anglican Church of the Holy Trinity, built in 1847 by English architect Henry Bowyer Lane.
Osgoode Hall
Osgoode Hall is west of the square. It was built in 1832 and served as a law school and served as the regulatory body for lawyers in Ontario. It’s now the home of the Ontario Court of Appeal and other law offices.
Canada’s Walk of Fame
A few blocks away on King Street is Canada’s Walk of Fame. I stumbled upon it while walking from the parking lot to Nathan Phillips Square.
