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Top 10 Interesting Facts About Legislature Building, Winnipeg

The Legislature building, Winnipeg.

The Legislature building or Manitoba Legislative Building was originally named the Manitoba Parliament Building.

It is the meeting place for the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba, which is located in Central Winnipeg. Legislative Building, Winnipeg is also the twelfth provincial heritage site of Manitoba.

The Building also accommodates offices of Manitoba’s Premier, Lieutenant Governor, Ministers and Deputy Ministers of various provincial government departments.

Constriction of the building started in 1913, completed and opened on 15th July 1920. It was built in the neoclassical, Beaux-Arts style with a famed Golden Boy (a gold-covered bronze statue sitting on top of the building’s cupola).

The Legislature building, Winnipeg stands at 77-metres tall. It was designed and built by Frank Worthington, Henry Boddington and several other masons and craftsmen.

There was a statue of Queen Victoria on the site of the building. This statue which was commissioned in 1904 for C$15,000 was moved to the front base of the building.

Let us take you through the top 10 interesting facts about the Legislature building, Winnipeg:

1. The Construction Suffered Massive Setbacks, Taking Several Years to Complete

Taras Shevchenko Monument at the Legislative Building Winnipeg.

The Legislature building, in Winnipeg, is among the most massive buildings in Canada. It took several years to build and complete it due to several setbacks.

One of the setbacks was the labour and funding shortage that was brought on by the First World War. This obstacle slowed the construction and even threatened its abandonment.

Labour unrest during the Winnipeg General strike also slowed the construction.

The stealing of materials by Kelly who used them to build his own house three blocks away also further slowed the building.

2. It Cost a Whole Fortune to Build Legislature Building, Winnipeg

Manitoba Legislative Building in Winnipeg, looking south.

The government of Canada spent a whole fortune on building this legislature building.
The final cost of the construction of this building was approximately C$ 9,379,000.

The Department of Public Works broke down the spending as follows:

$150,000 for furnishing and finishing the building; $219,551 for plumbing, heating and ventilation; $157,172 for electrical work and $296,023 for repairing any defective work.

3. The Building Used for Film Works and Television Productions

Manitoba Legislature & Fountain.

Like many other renowned and massive buildings across the globe, the legislature building of Winnipeg has also been used for various events.

The Legislative Building has been used on numerous occasions for films and television productions.

The films and television productions broadcasted in the Legislative Building include The Diviners in 1990 and Capote in 2004.

4. Military Hall of Honour Opened in the Legislative Building

Manitoba Provincial Legislature Building.

The Legislative Building has served numerous purposes for Canada. Other than being used for Legislative purposes, the Building has also served as a hall of honour for the military.

In March 2015, the military hall of honour was officially opened in the Legislative Building. This was to commemorate Manitoba’s regiments who fought during World War One.

5. Materials Used to Build the Legislative Building

At the Legislature, Winnipeg, Manitoba. (Intentionally sideways.)

Several strong materials were used to construct the Legislative Building for its durability. Tyndall Stone and marbles were the major materials used throughout the building.

Fossils of sponges, gastropods like snails, cephalopods like molluscs and trilobites were also used in the construction of the Legislative Building. The marbles used in the building contain various fossils.

They include Tennessee marble used for flooring, Botticino for the grand staircase, and Ordovician black marble for interior decorative purposes.

6. It Has Two Great Domes

Manitoba Legislature.

The Legislature building, Winnipeg has two great domes. It has an inner dome and an outer dome.
The inner dome can be seen while standing in the Rotunda.

The outer dome is supported by four compound girders which weigh approximately 97 tons each.

7. Classical Pediment of the Legislative Building

The front of the Manitoba Legislative Building, with the statue of Queen Victoria.

The Legislative Building has six iconic columns with the main pediment that was designed by Scottish sculptor Albert Hodge.

There are two Egyptian sphinges which face east and west. At the bottom left corner is the Indolent man with a half-kneeling woman (spirit of progress), leading the man to the promised land.

Next is a goddess Europa leading a bull which symbolises Canada’s European heritage. There is a man, woman and child to the right of the Europa. They symbolise the colonisation of the new land.

In the centre is Lady Manitoba who is directly in front of the rays of the sun. To the west, there is Neptune’s trident which symbolises the Pacific Ocean. East is a ship’s wheel symbolizing the Atlantic Ocean.

Adjacent to Lady Manitoba is a man alongside a woman with wheat and fruits that symbolise the products of the soil.

A muscular male figure alongside powerful horses is adjacent. In the bottom right corner are two female figures entwined. They represent the Red and Assiniboine Rivers.

8. The Golden Boy on One Dome

Manitoba Legislature Building.

The Golden Boy sculpture is placed on the outer dome of the Legislative Building.

It is supported on the copper dome by stonework grouping that represents elements; alchemy, earth, air, fire and water.

The elements are identified as agriculture, science, industry and art. The Golden Boy figure was refurbished in 2002. It was also put on illumination by floodlights.

9. Rotunda of the Legislative Building

The Rotunda top.

The legislative Building has a Rotunda measuring around 20 metres in diameter and 26 metres high. The top of the Rotunda has four panels that contain 5 gold rosettes.

The floor of the Rotunda is made out of Tennessee marble which is bordered by black Vermont and Verde antique marble. The centre of the Rotunda is made of an Italian marble balustrade. It is 4 metres across.

10. The Pool of Black Star

Interior of the dome at the Manitoba Legislature.

Within the Rotunda is the pool of black stars with four entrances. The entrances are marked by three steps which form the circumference of the room.

Directly above the circular room in alignment with the pool of black stars is the dome where the Golden Boy is mounted.

The circumference of the Pool of Black Star is fixed with an electric light which illuminates sea creatures. Male and female heads appear just under the shade.

The Legislature building, Winnipeg is an amazing place to visit,  have the best experiences as well as enjoy the beautiful cultural designs and sculptures within.