The competition to design and construct the government buildings in Ottawa, the new national capital, was one of the most important architectural events in nineteenth-century British North America and the finished buildings inspired a major movement in Canadian federal architecture. The Glory of Ottawa focuses on the 1859 design competition for the parliamentary complex, from which these unrivalled buildings emerged. Young includes an investigation of the architectural climate in which the parliament buildings were conceived, providing insight into the practice of architecture in pre-Confederation Canada. The aftermath of the contest is also explored, including changes to the plans, the problem of costs, the critical reception of the buildings, and their place in the aesthetics of the time.

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"An extremely interesting and valuable account of the 1859 competition. This most welcome study makes an important contribution to the field of Canadian architectural history." Kelly Crossman, Department of Art History, Carleton University.