Canadian Gothic

How did an architectural style synonymous with medieval Europe become the style of choice in nineteenth- and early twentieth-century Canada?

This illustrated talk will take us on a journey that begins in the Middle Ages, dips into the popular horror novels of the eighteenth century, crashes into the windswept, rocky coasts of Newfoundland and ends up in downtown Ottawa. The thread that links all these is an idea of “Gothic” that, while inspired by the Middle Ages, is constantly evolving, re-imagined and re-built.