Dome

View looking north into the pedestrian entrance, east flank; The Roddick Gates are the main entrance to McGill University from Sherbrooke Street West. The gates were commissioned by Lady Amy Redpath Roddick in memory of her husband, Sir Thomas George Roddick, Dean of Medicine from 1901-1908. The base and sidewalk are of Deschambault limestone, the remainder of the stone being dark grey Indiana limestone. The latter was selected owing to its freedom from defects and uniformity of color. When one considers that the columns are monolithic and that the architrave is solid stone having no steel supports, it can readily be seen how necessary it was to have a stone from which such large flawless pieces could be cut. With the exception of the columns and capitals the stone is all hand-cut. The bronze door in the rear of the clock tower leads up through the narrow passage to the clock chamber, housing the clock works and the four bells which sound the Westminster chimes. Source: Wikipedia; http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Main_Page (accessed 7/12/2010)