How the BELLS work in Canada's Parliament Building

There are 53 bells inside the Peace Tower on Parliament Hill. The bells ring every 15 minutes, as well as when played by the Dominion Carillonneur. Learn about the bells and a carillon in this video.
The Peace Tower which stands at 98 metres tall on Parliament Hill, in Ottawa, Ontario. Come visit Canada, sit on the Parliament lawn and listen to the bells ring for yourself.
If you want to know more about the Dominion Carillonneur, click here: www.ourcommons.ca/About/Histo...
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DownieLive is a canadian behind-the-scenes adventure channel, hosted by me, Michael Downie. Thanks for watching (and reading all the way to the bottom). As always, I don't know where I'm going next, but I know I want you there with me.
See you in the next one.
-Mike

[@lovelettknight9344]

Thank you so much for this! My husband was a Guardsman in the 2nd Battalion of the Canadian Guards! I watched with my four year old grand daughter!! ♥️🇨🇦🍁💂💂

[@carwashslayer4235]

5:07 love the Westminister chimes

[@christopheroliver7589]

Thank you, Michael, for sharing this special episode with us. I can tell, by the emotion in your voice, that this was important for you, visiting Canada's Parliament building. I loved listening to O Canada on the bells. I'm currently live in Minneapolis, Minnesota next to Saint Paul, which is our state's capital. As a teenager I worked as an usher at the Minnesota State Fair. I worked at horse shows in our Coliseum and before every show, a soloist would sing O Canada and the Star-Spangled Banner. Listening to O Canada brought back fond memories of my youth.

[@rickdownie1908]

Mike that was a truly Canadian moment. It should be played in all the classrooms of the nation.

[@SJSproductions]

6:05, The big one? DOOOOOOOOOOOOONG 🤣😂🤣😂🤣😂🤣😂🤣😂

[@WorshipMaranatha]

I've been through many cities and towns at the festivals and I was always fascinated by these bells. I always wanted to know how the bell clongs at the tone of the time. That is sooo cool!!

[@JeffFox1]

Great video. In case anyone's interested, there's an album from 1979 called Peace Tower Christmas which was played entirely on the Peace Tower Carillon by then Dominion Carillonneur Gordon Slater. He also did an album with the Canadian Brass the year before combining their playing with the Carillon.

[@DownieLive]

I didn't know that! So cool!

[@OffbeatDiscoveries]

Too cool!!!

[@cornwalldragon4617]

There's another album called Bells and Brass featuring The Canadian Brass.

[@Hollgrl98]

As a Swiss trained clock and watchmaker, I am so fascinated by these two videos! Thanks so much for sharing them! I have to admit, I got a little verklimpt when he was raising the new flag and was so careful not to let it touch the ground. I can remember my Mother cautioning me not to let the Stars and Stripes touch the ground when I was a child. (USian here). Thanks again!

[@paulacosta7367]

I have been in and around the Parliament building several times, (family members lives in Ottawa) but never behind the scenes like this. So interesting. I'm sharing this vid to them. Thanks Mike!

[@allanforget985]

Nice. And, just before the whole place closed down for ... 10 yrs !! I was there, in Ottawa, on the Hill, in Sept. --- all shut down. Another really fun & cool vid, Michael. Thanks again.

[@debbydhill]

Such a cool thing and a really interesting job. Thanks for sharing both you and Robert!

[@DonJoyce]

That was amazing, Mike! Great job sharing that!

[@DownieLive]

Thanks Don! I figured it's an interesting part of history that should be shared 👍🏼😄

[@MzRage]

Wow thats amazing how they play the bells..thanks for the tag along!

[@DownieLive]

My pleasure, Jade!

[@OffbeatDiscoveries]

Found your channel tonight. Love your content. New sub.

[@rain_sq]

Most famous bell tower in Canada? Im Canadian and ive never heard of parliament’s bells.. i didnt even realize they existed

[@StairwellCarollersOfficial]

Surprised that Dr. McCrady, our dominion carillonneur, was not featured in this.

[@themidnightarchives]

This is all kinds of cool. I've been to Ottawa myself but it's been forever. But to see the bells and whatnot is pretty cool.

[@DownieLive]

Thanks! I thought so too, which is why I wanted to show it to you!

[@SalmanFatihGeGe]

the hour bell its like big ben!

[@DrewBrees7249]

@DownieLive big ben is loud loud like any big bell in any chiming clock like peace tower bell what rang 10 am on this video keep the good work

[@janeknight5070]

I wanted to move to Ottawa because I watched a live cam on the US side of the Huron River and I didn’t see snow on the other side. The snow would be too cold for me. Then I realized Ottawa was the Capitol . I’m sure too expensive their. I would love to move to Canada. I live in California. Your country is beautiful. I was told there is a lot of paperwork. Not sure how hard it is to move their. Thank you for sharing your videos . They are so interesting

[@inmyworld2355]

I visited Canada 24+ yrs ago and I vaguely recall nothing except the family s house where I stayed 😭 As always thank you for making such amazing videos! 🙌🏼 👍🏼👍🏼 I should re visit soon now 🥰

[@DownieLive]

Absolutely revisit! Canada is amazing!

[@abdullaharif6455]

"This is going to ring 10 times." "The big one?" "Yep. That's me. Brace yourself. I am loud!"

[@Larry-325]

Thanks Mike. Real interesting. Loved it. 👍👍

[@DownieLive]

Awesome Larry! I thought so, I'm glad you do too!

[@PUBG_Lugia]

Im impressed

[@deathvalley006]

It would have been cool to see the hammers hitting the bells that are chiming the hour, but still cool to see the bells chiming from inside the belfry

[@amye4087]

Extremely cool.

[@BukuiZhao]

Imagine Alert Ready goes off while the chimes take place

[@aidanhernandez7144]

NEXT IS THE mattel toy store office where make hotwheels toy cars and trucks of 2024.🎉🎉.

[@chrissypie80]

4:21 5:07 6:02 sound like the bells

[@hazelkettle4642]

I love the hour bell nice tone booooooog the big one It doesn't sound like big Ben but all clocks have wensminsmintr chimes

[@PUBG_Lugia]

good job

[@amitrao231]

Wow amazing video bro. Keep it up. Love from india.♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡

[@RafaFC234]

The largest bell hammer is HUGE! So thats why the hammer lifts up just a bit?

[@smwca123]

If you haven't already done so, you should do something on Vancouver's answer, the Gastown Steam Clock.

[@julienajith6479]

The bigesst bell of otawa

[@CYSYS8993]

I thought the tower's bells were operated by a traditional pendulum-powered striking train like Big Ben. Definitely didn't expect a modern engine.

[@PinkPanther4958]

It's just Big Ben by the way not The Big Ben. The tower its-self was actually named Elizabeth tower in 2012 and before that it was just referred to as the great clock or just clock tower. Big Ben is the name given to the 13.7 tonne Hour bell that sits in the belfry.

[@CYSYS8993]

@@PinkPanther4958 Corrected.

[@PinkPanther4958]

@@CYSYS8993 I made my own error. Bells do not 'sit' they hang lol.

[@PheonixStarsx]

BELLS OF OTTAWAAAAAAAAA

[@vintagesimplexfirealarmsof6440]

was there a mechanical clock mechanism that used to run the chimes and that

[@anncristycanoy2094]

🔔

[@DjGoofy6968]

6:04 This is going to ring 10 times. The big one? (10 Metric ton bell chimes)

[@davidlp6510]

Mike neither you or that dude should have being there so near the bells. Their frequencies could affect your hearing in a permanent way. By your reading of the French writings on the bell I'd suggest that at least some knowledge of French you have retained from your school days. Can you speak it? I have visited Ottawa a gazillion times but never have gone into the peace tower. I will correct it the very next time I go over. Another great video!!!

[@JoshieBoy-gb3cc]

How many decibels would that be? It seems pretty loud at that 10o’clock ring. I also see that you aren’t even wearing earplugs or ear protection at all! Very interesting video btw. I’m going to Ottawa in a few months and I’d really like to see this in person!

[@DownieLive]

Josh, I have no idea how loud it was. Very loud is the best answer I can give you! Enjoy Ottawa!

[@JoshieBoy-gb3cc]

DownieLive Thanks! And keep making Awsome videos!

[@Ottawajames]

These bells have been silenced until restoration work is completed sometime in the 2030s probably.

[@ph11p3540]

Hard to believe we built rockets that are more massive than this tower. This tower would make for a beautiful gothic space rocket.

[@Yougotrolling]

Went royal guard in canada

[@Sc4r4byte]

Concord just invalidated your glass bottom swimming pool video! You gonna try and check out the new 20 story high glass bottom pool?

[@DownieLive]

Where’s that??

[@Sc4r4byte]

@@DownieLive - Vancouver again, right next to BC place! - searching "The Arc glass bottom pool" should get also the info

[@michellesenft1517]

Can you do that too i mean singin the chimes

[@DownieLive]

Oh yeah, I’ve seen it at the end of Cambie Street Bridge. I should reach out to them!

[@michellesenft1517]

can you sing the chimes

[@offthebeatenpath9144]

👍👍

[@maneshs1386]

7:24

[@christinedubois5954]

Did you know that the heaviest Bell in The Peace Tower weighs 22,240lbs! And the smallest Bell weighs only 9.9lbs!

[@PinkPanther4958]

Big Ben, the bell located in the belfry of Elizabeth tower, London weighs 13.7 tons or about 30,000 pounds and sounds a slightly flat E due to a crack that appeared when the bell was new. This crack is still there, only the bell was rotated 90 degrees and the crack was drilled to prevent it from spreading.

[@BukuiZhao]

4:21 warning headphone users

[@danielmilitello4795]

4:21 5:07 6:01

[@MKeisha1]

And 6:07

[@kevinpaige4902]

Canadian Big Ben lol

[@l_l8362]

Je ne connaissais pas cette sublime tour ! Big Ben c'est de la merde à côté

[@michellesenft1517]

And everyone i mean singing the chimes

[@JanettePormida-fg8hu]

The clock tower kinda simlar to the big ben

[@BurnedNoodle]

Parliament?

[@NeilPrasad_1905]

Why didn't you record that mechanism in action?

[@DownieLive]

Because we only had so much time and we could wait around for another 15 minutes until it went off.

[@NeilPrasad_1905]

@@DownieLive So, you didn't record that thing at all?

[@southgeorgiarepublic]

Looks Like Big Ben

[@DownieLive]

Kinda true Jeff.

[@jlang1535]

😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊

[@julienajith6479]

Bells of otawaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa

[@gracemamasig8610]

Big Ben

[@julienajith6479]

Bells are so loud why they are so loud because they re so loud bells are so loud

[@julienajith6479]

Ding,

[@julienajith6479]

Dingggggggggggggggg!

[@Slevin_Kalevra]

6:05 BIG Taco Bell Vibes.

[@3merTVPlays]

This is the 2nd england

[@Amongusordog77716]

Is it ok that is subscribed 😂

[@MKeisha1]

6:23 What??? Is that Big ben???

[@caroperes4437]

Big Ben is very different it does not have a Caroline it’s not the same mechanics and it doesn’t have a flag on top

[@morphman21]

WARNING TO ALL EARPHONE USERS

[@DownieLive]

True. I considered lowering the volume before, but I wanted you to experience what I experienced... 👍🏼

[@raleighjane8871]

bell towers scare me

[@jentzsteiner]

How?

[@turbo682]

SAME. I have an uncontrollable fear of the bells the tower the ropes. I can hardly go inside a church. Ive also never met anyone who suffers with the same thing.

[@turbo682]

@@jentzsteiner because they are fucking huge very loud and very old. I cannot tell you why they put the fear of god into me. But they do

[@hermindasalazar6822]

It like big ben when inside bellfry but EARRAPE WARNING

[@julienajith6479]

Doooooooong😄😄🤣😄😂😄🤣😄😂😄🤣😄😂🤣

[@julienajith6479]

Diiiiiiiiiiiiiiiing

[@lizbethjimenez5689]

😱😱😱😱😱😱😱😱😱 pero que es so

[@yeniagustini4513]

Basketball 🏀

[@SuperPussyFinger]

Those bells are grossly off tune.

[@gracemamasig8610]

Big ben jsdj bell jdd

[@kyxtos4739]

R.I.P headphone users 6:16 wait until 6:46

[@julienajith6479]

Doooooooooooong🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

[@julienajith6479]

Dooooooooooooooooong🤣🤣😂🤣😂🤣😂🤣😅😄😅😄😅😄😅😄

[@Voltaireooooo]

Holy cow???

[@monacruz4072]

7:25