Province of Manitoba | Legislative Tour

Manitoba Legislative Building Restoration Project

Some Quick Facts

Architect: Frank Worthington Simon of Liverpool, England, won a British Empire-wide competition and the $10,000 prize offered for the design.
The exterior is Tyndall limestone quarried at Garson, Manitoba.
Excavation of the site began in 1913.
Construction was delayed by the First World War due to material shortages.
The Legislature officially opened on July 15, 1920.
The total cost was $9 million (including furnishings & groundwork).
Total square footage: 24,959 square metres (268,783 square feet) excluding hallways.
The Dome is approximately 68 metres (223 feet 7 inches) above the main floor.
The height of the central tower without the Golden Boy is approximately 74.5 metres (242 feet).
The building style is neo-classical, incorporating Greek, Roman and Egyptian motifs and elements.
The statues in the base pediment of the central tower represent agriculture, art, industry and science.

The Golden Boy

Sculpted by Georges Gardet.
Cast in bronze, France 1918.
Modeled on the 16th century sculpture of Mercury by Giovanni da Bologna.
Originally painted in gold, gilded in 1951.
He is 4.9 metres (16 feet) tall from the toe to the top of the torch.
He weighs 4,536 Kg (10,000 pounds/5 tons).
The current light was installed in 1966 & was lit on December 31, 1966 to mark Canada's centennial.