The Banff Springs Hotel, Banff, Alberta

Five splendid examples of Canadian architecture - CPR hotels of grand scale - are depicted in a new commemorative stamp booklet to be issued June 14, 1993. Richly ornate, these hotels were built originally as stop-overs for travellers - catering to nobility and head of state - or as resorts for the privileged. The stamp issue also marks the centenary of the opening of the Château Frontenac in Quebec. The other hotels include: the Algonquin, St. Andrews; the Royal York in Toronto; Banff Springs; and the Empress Hotel in Victoria. Situated at the point where the Spray and Bow Rivers meet, the location ensured success. Banff Springs offers opulence in a secluded setting reminiscent of the Alps, complete with natural hot springs. To promote the scenery of western Canada, the CPR commissioned art work for its posters and brochures. This assistance helped develop "the railway school", Canada's first "national" school for art. Expansion took place just before World War I when the Painter Tower became the tallest building in the Canadian Rockies. Fire destroyed parts of the original structure in 1926, and today's hotel dates primarily from 1928.