Toronto's Old and New City Hall and Nathan Phillips Square
Toronto City Hall is a striking landmark featuring a modern architectural design which sharply contrasts the Romanesque Architecture of the adjacent Old City Hall
The adjacent new and old Toronto City Halls overlook Nathan Phillips Square, a popular gathering place for locals and visitors alike. The modern design of the New City Hall which opened in 1965, stands in sharp contrast to the 1899 architecture of the adjacent Old City Hall.
The new Toronto City Hall islocated on a large tract of land north of Queen Street West and west of Bay Street, which was the site of Toronto's first Chinatown. Much of Chinatown had to be displaced to the northwest in order to accommodate the new City Hall.
The modern design was created by Finnish architect Viljo Revell along with associates Heikki Castren, Bengt Lundsten, and Seppo Valju who won a contest to come up with the best design. The modern design consists of a rectangular base from which two curved towers rise to different heights. The circular council chambers are constructed on top of the rectangular base in between the two towers. The tallest tower reaches 27 stories (326 feet).
In front of the City Hall is a courtyard called Nathan Phillips Square featuring a reflecting pool which is used as an outdoor skating rink during the winter months, as well as the Peace Garden which serves as a memorial to the bombing of Hiroshima. The square features a weekly farmers' market, the winter festival of lights and is also used for concerts and art displays.
In stark contrast to the new Toronto City Hall and surrounding buildings, the Old City Hall sits next door and features Romanesque Architecture including a 340 foot clock tower complete with gargoyles and the third largest clock in the world. Built in 1899 this historic Toronto Building now serves as the Ontario Court of Justice.
For anyone interested in architecture, both old and new, Toronto's City Halls are a great place to explore.
Facts For Your Visit
Fee: No
Address: Toronto, ON, Canada
Phone: (416) 392-2489
Official Website: Toronto City Hall
Directions
| TTC Subway Line | Nearest Station | Walking Time |
|---|---|---|
| Yonge-University-Spadina | Osgoode or Queen Station | 3-4 Minutes |
How to get to Toronto City Hall by TTC Subway
No Bus required. From Osgoode Station walk east along Queen Street West or from Queen Station walk west along Queen Street West. Nathan Philips Square and the Toronto City Hall is located on the north side of Queen Street West about half way between these two stations.
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Reviews
Rated out of 5
I went here while there was a Christmas market going on and it was beautiful! The place was very festive and there were decorations everywhere. There were a lot of people skating and a whole row of food trucks adjacent to the rink. There are always events going on here so it's always worthwhile to check out
Jeremy Hernandez - 13 days ago
I went here while there was a Christmas market going on and it was beautiful! The place was very festive and there were decorations everywhere. There were a lot of people skating and a whole row of food trucks adjacent to the rink. There are always events going on here so it's always worthwhile to check out
Wonderful area with some great photo opportunities! A little touristy but if you're willing to put up with a lot of people it's great! Also an awesome spot to go skating in the winter.
Adam H - 14 days ago
Wonderful area with some great photo opportunities! A little touristy but if you're willing to put up with a lot of people it's great! Also an awesome spot to go skating in the winter.
Nguyen Ngoc Thu - 1 month ago
Bridgette Clark - 1 month ago
This time the square fell way too crowded, not leaving any space to walk around and enjoy Christmas spirit. For me it seemed like too many booths allowed which made walking pretty impossible with all the people shopping, browsing, trying to pass towards skating rink and just walk. It’s beautiful area with all the lights and Christmas tree, but felt way too crowded.
Indre Ra - 1 month ago
This time the square fell way too crowded, not leaving any space to walk around and enjoy Christmas spirit. For me it seemed like too many booths allowed which made walking pretty impossible with all the people shopping, browsing, trying to pass towards skating rink and just walk. It’s beautiful area with all the lights and Christmas tree, but felt way too crowded. 
Video
Photo Gallery
Panoramic view of Nathan Phillips Square showing both the old and new City Hall cc licensed photo by Paolo Costa Baldi 
A view of Nathan Phillips Square with Toronto's Old City Hall in the background cc licensed photo by -Jerome- 
Ice skating at dusk in front of the old City Hall cc licensed photo by Benson Kua 
Toronto City Hall and Fountain at Night cc licensed photo by Benson Kua 
Nathan Phillips Square and the Toronto City Hall at Christmas cc licensed photo by Alex Guibord -
cc licensed photo by matilde park -
cc licensed photo by matilde park -
cc licensed photo by matilde park -
City Hall cc licensed photo by matilde park -
Toronto City Hall Square 360° cc licensed photo by Stig Nygaard -
Old City Hall cc licensed photo by Arbron -
Old City Hall cc licensed photo by Arbron -
Old City Hall cc licensed photo by Arbron -
Toronto City Hall cc licensed photo by Photographing Travis -
Nathan Phillips Square cc licensed photo by Arbron
