City Hall and Around

City Hall and Nathan Phillips Square

The Nathan Phillipe square, in front of City Hall, is a famous site of concerts, festivals, and other public events, In winter months, its reflecting pool is converted into a rink for ice skating.

Toronto Sign is a famous selfie spot in downtown but a sudden cold drizzle forced everyone to run for covers.

Pool with Freedom Arches and Old City Hall in the background. The bases of these arches embed a piece of the Berlin Wall. 

On the left side of the square is the Peace garden with an incomplete gazebo and an ever-burning flame. The garden was created as a memorial to the atomic bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. The unfinished gazebo probably symbolizes the incomplete quest for world peace. In its small reflecting pool, a vial of water from Nagasaki was poured by Pope John Paul II in 1984. The flame is set at a very low setting during summer and thus it is barely visible during day time. But it is always there reminding everyone about its purpose. 

In the lower right end of the square, there are several chess tables. On a good day, you may find several players competing against each other.

Osgoode Hall is a historical landmark building west of Nathan Phillipe Square. Built in 1832, it served various purposes during 19th and 20th centuries including being the site of the first law school in the province. Currently, it houses several courts and a Law Library.