Union Station

Union Station at 65 Front St W in downtown Toronto, Ontario, is the city's main railway terminal and one of Canada's grandest examples of Beaux-Arts public architecture. Construction began in 1914, delayed by the First World War, and the station was officially opened by the Prince of Wales in 1927. The architects were a joint team from the Canadian Pacific and Grand Trunk railways working with the firm of Ross and Macdonald. Its long limestone facade is lined with colossal Roman Doric columns, and the main concourse, the Great Hall, is about 80 metres long and lined with Zumbrunnen limestone and a coffered Guastavino tile ceiling, with the names of Canadian cities carved in stone above the windows. The station is a National Historic Site of Canada. It served as the heart of Toronto's rail network and, in the postwar decades, was threatened with demolition before public opposition in the 1970s secured its future. A major revitalization project in the 2010s restored the Great Hall, added a new retail and transit level and expanded the train shed, while preserving heritage features such as the Canada Post lettering, the ticket windows and the metal gates. Today it handles commuter trains (GO Transit), VIA Rail intercity trains, the TTC subway and links to the UP Express from Pearson Airport. There is no admission, and visitors are free to walk through the concourses at any hour the building is open. A self-guided visit focuses on the Great Hall, the York Street and Front Street entrances and the stone inscriptions. Because it is still an active transit hub, crowds at peak hours can limit photography, and the best time for a quiet look is mid-morning or on a weekend.