Visitors to Nathan Phillips Square typically come for the Toronto Sign, City Hall, or the Reflecting Pool. But the square holds a hidden gem: the Peace Garden.
Here Burns an Eternal Flame
Lit in 1984 by Pope John Paul II, he used an actual torch from Hiroshima and poured water into these pools from a river in Nagasaki.
Our Eternal Flame is linked specifically to Hiroshima because it was the first city destroyed by an atomic bomb in 1945.
A Continued Message
Both Hiroshima’s and Toronto’s Eternal Flames hold the same message: Only to be extinguished when the world is free of nuclear weapons.
The sheltering pavilion is constructed with a pitched roof with one corner deliberately missing, symbolizing that peace is always a work in progress.
Engraved Stones
The surrounding stones hold words and phrases from poets, philosophers, and peace advocates, emphasizing the universal desire for harmony.
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