As you drive across the open prairie towards Regina you can see the city skyline. South of downtown the dome of the Legislative Building, a Canadian National Historic Site, stands out in the middle of Wascana Park. Last year an aunt and uncle were visiting from England and we went on a tour of the building and got some great pictures of it another day when we took a walk around the lake. The tours of the building are available 362 days of the year, last about half an hour and are free.
We were there on a showery day so the respite from the rain was welcome. We had some time to kill before the tour started so we went downstairs to the shop to have a look around at the Saskatchewan products that were on offer. Our tour included the gallery at the top of the steps in the Rotunda, the Legislative Library and of course, the Legislative chamber. It is quite impressive to stand under the copper-clad dome and look up. The Legislative Building is a lovely example of heritage construction and the art work alone is worth seeing as well as the marble throughout, the sculptures and carvings.
There are also self-guided walking tour maps available for the grounds outside the building. There is a fountain to the east end of the building that is from Trafalgar Square in London, England. The grounds are a very popular spot for wedding photographs. It is a beautiful Tyndal stone building and looks quite majestic next to Wascana Lake. The Queen Elizabeth II Gardens, including a statue of Queen Elizabeth on her horse and numerous storyboards depicting the Queen’s many visits to Regina, run between the building and the south shore of the lake.
