Nathan Phillips Square

Nathan Phillips Square features a massive, curved concrete archway and a reflecting pool that doubles as a skating rink in winter. Named for a former Toronto mayor, the square opened in nineteen sixty-five as the centerpiece of a new city hall design by Finnish architect Viljo Revell. Before this, the site held a gritty industrial zone and a crowded shantytown. During construction, workers unearthed forgotten artifacts and building foundations that trace Toronto's growth from a small colonial outpost into a modern metropolis.