Dutch's Tuesday Photo Challenge

Dutch's Tuesday Photo Challenge BANK


I spent my entire working career in banking as did John. So that is where my brain went with this challenge.

Toronto has a large financial core and all the Canadian banks are represented.

Some, such as CIBC, Canadian Bank of Commerce, have retained their original head office remains in downtown Toronto and is a masterpiece.



I took these photos a few years ago from Brookfield Place (formerly BCE Place) from the 32nd floor.

I researched and found this site called Toronto Plaques which provided the following history.
Upon completion, this 34-storey skyscraper was the tallest building in the British Empire and was praised as the "greatest addition to Toronto's increasing, Manhattan-like skyline." It was designed for The Canadian Bank of Commerce jointly by the Toronto firm Darling and Pearson, and by York and Sawyer, the foremost New York City bank architects of the era. Rising in tiers, the building features richly carved Romanesque Revival detailing and a vaulted Main Banking Hall said to be modelled after Rome's Baths of Caracalla. A popular outdoor observation gallery on the 32nd floor - guarded by great carved heads with flowing beards - gave the public unobstructed city views until even taller office towers were built in the 1960s. After The Commerce merged with the Imperial Bank of Canada in 1961, the building became the head office of the Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce.






Some more photos from the outside.

The following information is from the Historic Toronto website:

The richly ornamented chandelier in the banking hall, its bottom tier containing the caduceus, the symbol of the Bank of Commerce.

The caduceus is the traditional symbol of Hermes and features two snakes winding around a staff, often mistakenly used as a symbol of medicine. In Greek mythology, it was a symbol of commerce and negotiation, a natural representation for The Bank of Commerce.