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Manitoba Legislative Building and Grounds - Self-Guided Tour

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• Winnipeg, MB R3C 1S4
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Hermetic Code Tour – Discovering Winnipeg’s Ancient Temple

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It was an adventure the likes of the Da Vinci Code, complete with ancient symbols, hidden clues, and secret society rituals. But with one big difference. This code-busting escapade was for real.

The unlikely setting was the Manitoba Legislative Assembly building in Winnipeg, its dome topped by the brilliant statue of the Greek god Hermes, commonly called the Golden Boy. It was on the front steps of the stately building that we met Don Finkbeiner of Heartland International Travel and Tours. Right from the start it was apparent that this wasn’t going to be your run-of-the-mill historical tour.

“This masquerades as a house of government,” said Don. “It’s actually a temple in disguise. Not just any temple; it’s modelled after King Solomon’s Temple.”

Our heads never stopped spinning for the next hour and a half, as he ushered us through a beguiling world of ancient Greek, Roman and Egyptian gods, cosmology, numerology, alchemy, and the occult, liberally sprinkled with pagan, Christian, and Masonic imagery.

Uncovering the Secrets

On the surface, this is simply a fine government building with elaborate decorations. It was architectural historian Dr. Frank Albo who unlocked its secrets after ten years of painstaking research. It began when Frank, then a student at the University of Winnipeg, wondered why the legislature had statues of Egyptian sphinx on the roof. Looking further, he found the building packed with mysterious symbols that aren’t at first obvious.

The building was the brainchild of Liverpool architect Frank Worthington Simon. He was awarded the commission in 1912 by a committee that included Manitoba’s premier Rodmond Roblin and some senior members of government who were Freemasons, a benevolent society big on symbolism and secret rituals. Simon not only incorporated Masonic designs but added complex layers of ancient, pagan, and religious symbols, all intended for the betterment of society. His modus operandi was that if you want to hide something, hide it in plain view.

When Don learned of Frank Albo’s findings, he was immediately hooked. They teamed up to bring this intriguing story to the public through specialized Hermetic Code tours.

Room of Protection

As we entered the main hall of the building, we came face to face with two large bronze bison statues, symbolic of Manitoba. Or are they? Don explained that ancient temples always had a room of protection guarded by two large horned bulls to ward off evil. Use bison and most people don’t give it a second thought, but the guardians still fulfill their protective role.

Other symbols to battle evil adorn the room, including the face of Medusa with her hair made of snakes; just one glance at her would send evil packing. Eight cattle skulls form part of the decorations. Cattle skulls in a prairie setting might seem perfectly normal, but to Simon, this wasn’t a western motif. Back in the day when cattle sacrifices were in vogue, their skulls were hung as protective symbols.

Numbers and More Numbers

The extensive use of numbers as symbols of power is mind-boggling. The main hall is square, measuring 66 feet, six inches on each side. While 666 is associated with the Devil in the Bible, it also has a wider and more positive significance. To the Egyptians and Babylonians, 666 was the number of the sun-god, who ruled the 36 constellations in the sky. Add up the numbers from 1 to 36 and we get 666. Wearing an amulet with 666 on it was a way of covering your bases and currying favour from all the gods.

Number 13 is everywhere, from 13-foot-long bison to the grand staircase with three sets of 13 steps, 13 stones on the entrance archway, or 13 lights in every hallway. On one level, 13 represents Christ and the 12 Apostles, but it is also part of the powerful Fibonacci sequence – 3,5,8,13, etc., where any number is the sum of the previous two numbers. Divide any number by the number before it and we get an average of 1.618, known as the golden ratio, the most aesthetically pleasing proportion found in nature and used extensively in architecture. Groupings of fives and eights loom large throughout the building as well.

The Altar and Sanctuary

Don led us up the grand staircase, across the mosaic floor patterned after the ground floor of Solomon’s Temple, to the Rotunda (13 feet across, by the way). Here we looked down to the lower level to see the Pool of the Black Star, representing the second essential part of a temple — the sanctuary and altar.

Don referred us to an old guidebook to the building from 1925 that talked about sacrifices in a setting such as this in the ancient world, complete with an altar, white-robed worshippers, a victim, a curved knife, and blood trickling through the veins of marble. Heady stuff for a guide to a building where elected lawmakers work.

Christian Nuances

“Who came along 2,000 years ago and put an end to sacrifices in temples?” asked Don rhetorically. “It was Christ, so maybe we should see if there are any representations of Christ hidden in plain view.” Nothing was obvious, but by now we were beyond being surprised.

At the back of the rotunda, a huge mural portrays the First World War, which was raging during construction. It ostensibly shows the aftermath of a battle, with a badly wounded soldier being helped along by his comrades.

Simon hired muralist Frank Brangwyn from Brussels, who studied in the same Paris art school as Simon and was known for embedding Christian imagery in his paintings.

Once Don pointed out the details, it became obvious that the painting also depicts the Passion of Christ. The “wounded soldier” even has a nail hole in one hand. What looks like the long barrel of an artillery piece is also the pole of the cross. Hidden near the top of the painting is a representation of the Madonna and Child.

The Holy of Holies

The most important room in Solomon’s Temple was the Holy of Holies, built to house the Ark of the Covenant containing tablets with the Ten Commandments. Only the high priest could enter and only on special occasions. Don led us to the door of a little-used room off to the side, its entrance framed by two pillars using a design from Solomon’s Temple. A security guard unlocked the door and we peered into the reception room of the Manitoba government’s most important figure, its “high priest” if you will— the lieutenant-governor.

The fairly small though ornate square room measures 24 by 24 feet. The Holy of Holies was 20 by 20 cubits according to the Bible. Conversions are difficult because a cubit refers to the distance from a person’s elbow to the fingertips, so measurements can vary widely. However, the Masons used 14.4 inches as one of their conversions, so 20 cubits is 24 feet.

So far so good. The room matches the size of the Holy of Holies, but surely this improbable story will fall apart after this. We can clearly see the entire room. It would be quite a stretch to suggest that the Ark of the Covenant could be represented here. The Ark was said to be hidden behind a veil of blue, purple, and scarlet. This room does have blue curtains, which seemed promising at first, yet behind them we see only a window.

“That’s still where we have to look,” explained Don with a grin, “but outside where it’s hidden in plain view.”

Quest for the Lost Ark

We headed outside where Don described the many intricate designs and statues covering the building. The four elements of earth, air, fire, and water are represented. The front columns were built in exact proportion to the size of Hermes, using the golden ratio.

One statue is of General James Wolfe who whooped the French on the Plains of Abraham. A significant historical character, yet what is the connection with Manitoba? It turns out that his place of prominence has more to do with him being a notable Freemason – one of the earliest in Canada.

Then there are those curious Egyptian sphinxes that first set Frank Albo on his ten-year quest. It would be easy to dismiss them as mere decoration, since Egyptian motifs were all the rage a century ago. But when Frank went on the roof for a closer view, he saw the hieroglyphics on the lower part of the sphinx, translated as “The everlasting manifestation of the sun god Re, the good god who gives life”. The hieroglyphics aren’t visible from the ground, so they would have no purpose as decoration.

Finally we came to the east side of the building, where Don pointed to the sculpture just above the lieutenant-governor’s window. It portrays a box, usually described as a war chest, guarded by two warriors. Frank once crawled on the roof to measure the box, almost falling off in the process. He found that its proportions exactly match the Ark of the Covenant.

Why Winnipeg?

So why Winnipeg of all places for such an extraordinary building? In the early 20th century, this was the fastest growing city in North America, a boom town on steroids where everything was possible and only the best would do.

Winnipeg had more millionaires per capita than New York City and the commodities market was outselling the more famous exchange in Chicago. Winnipeg was poised to take its place among the world’s great cities, so a new legislative building would have to be a showpiece.

Leaving Nothing to Chance

Simon’s meticulousness in leaving nothing to chance in construction extended to public ceremonies as well. While the god on the legislature’s dome was called Hermes by the Greeks, the Romans knew him as Mercury and even named a planet after him. Lined up directly below the centre of the dome where Hermes, or Mercury, stands is the eight-pointed black star on the lower level. To the Babylonians, this was the Star of Ishtar, a fertility symbol associated with the planet Venus.

The ceremony to lay the northeast cornerstone, considered the birth of a building to Masons, took place at 5:30 on June 3, 1914, precisely when the planets of Venus and Mercury aligned over Winnipeg. The building’s official opening on July 15, 1920 was no accident either, planned for when the two planets again aligned over the booming city, this time with its brand spanking new legislative building, and of course, its ancient temple.

We’ll never look at a building the same way again.

For more details, see Heartland Travel or Tourism Winnipeg .

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Well HELLO summer!!! Book your free tour online at https://gov.mb.ca/legislature/visiting/tour.html or send us an email at [email protected] . Tours must be pre-booked. Available July 2nd until Labour Day! Groups of 10 or more require a minimum of two week advance reservation during this period. Guided Tours of the Legislative Building are booked through the Visitor Tour Program. Please direct guided tour inquiries to the Visitor Tour Program Office for further information.

Guided tours provide an overview of the history of Manitoba and of the Legislative Building as well as insight into the legislative process. Please note that tours may be rerouted, shortened, or cancelled at any time due to Legislative Assembly activities and events.

Visitor Tour Program Office :

Monday to Sunday 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

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Hermetic Secrets at the Manitoba Legislative Building

The Hermetic Code Tour explores numerological codes and Freemasonic symbols in the Manitoba Legislative Building

A temple masquerading as a government building? That is what Dr. Frank Albo says about the Manitoba Legislative Building in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. I and about 50 other people are here to take the Hermetic Code Tour. Dr. Albo is about to show us how the building is a modern reconstruction of King Solomon’s temple and contains secrets of Freemasonry “hidden in plain view.”

The Manitoba Legislative Building houses the provincial legislative assembly, its committees and staff, as well as offices for government ministers and deputy ministers. Frank Worthington Simon was chosen as the architecture for the the current building as the result of an architectural competition in 1911. Excavation began in 1913. Shortage of materials, labour and funds during the First Word War slowed construction. The building was ready for partial occupancy in 1919 and had its opening ceremonies in July, 1920. The exterior walls are Tyndall Stone, quarried at Garson, about 20 kilometres north of Winnipeg. The building is impressive on its own but takes on a whole other dimension with Dr. Albo’s interpretation.

Dr. Albo is an architectural historian with degrees in ancient Near Eastern languages, Western esotericism and the history of art. In 2001, while driving down Memorial Boulevard and looking at the Legislative Building, he noticed two sphinxes. His question about what the sphinxes were doing there led to years of research, first for his thesis and later under government-funded research grants. The book The Hermetic Code chronicles his search and findings.

We wait in front of the grand staircase for the tour to begin. Plans to start the tour outside are interrupted by a downpour. Instead we sit on the stairway and listen to Dr. Albo. Ancient temples had two large horned bulls guarding the entrance. On either side of the grand staircase sit bison, the symbol of Manitoba. Dr. Albo tells us that architect Frank Worthington Simon was a member of the Freemasons, a secret society which believed architecture “had the capacity to reform the soul.” On one of the sphinxes he discovered the name of an ancient Pharaoh, Thutmose III, believed by some to the founder of Freemasonry. Dr. Albo says we will find symbols of freemasonry “hidden in plain sight”, symbols involving geometry, astrology and alchemy.

Dr. Albo also tells us the numbers 5, 8 and 13 are prevalent in the building. They are part of the Fibonacci sequence, in which each number is the sum of the two preceding numbers in the sequence. As you progress through the sequence, the ratio of two successive numbers approaches the golden ratio, a special number equal to approximately 1.618. The golden ratio is frequently found in art and architecture, and appears in the Parthenon and the Pyramids. The grand staircase had three flights of 13 steps each. The bison are 13 feet long. There are 13 lights in each hallway. The number 666 also appears throughout the building. Although we now associate that number with the devil, Dr. Albo says it does not mean that in the Hermetic Code. It is associated with the sun.

The rain stops and we head outside. Dr. Albo asks us to look up at the pediment above the columns at the front entrance. According to the official government description, the scene symbolizes the ideals of nationhood and embraces all of Canada. The female figure in the centre represents Manitoba. According to Dr. Albo, she is the goddess of this temple.

The Golden Boy atop the Manitoba Legislative Building is a familiar Winnipeg landmark. The boy is actually the Greek god Hermes, the father of occult philosophy and patron of the Freemasons. Hermes acts as the messenger between the gods and mortals. The Golden Boy is a nickname given by a journalist many years ago and the name stuck. The statue is cast in bronze and was gilded in 1951. Around the base of the dome are statues representing agriculture, art, industry and science according to the government description or earth, water, fire and air according to Dr. Albo.

Under the dome, on the main floor, is a black eight-pointed star set into the marble. The circular area around the star has special acoustics. Normal speaking echoes throughout the building. Whispers spoken while standing at the centre of the star can be heard by all the people around you.

Dr. Albo is an enthusiastic guide. Although he has given this tour numerous times over several years, he seems as excited to share the building’s secrets as if this were the first time he revealed them. He talks about how he discovered the secrets, time spent measuring every inch of the building, being stopped by security guards in the middle of the night when he was inspecting a statue on the grounds in his pyjamas and joining the Freemasons himself in order to understand the building. I feel a little overwhelmed at the amount of information he provides.

The Manitoba Legislative Building is a fascinating building to explore whether or not you accept Dr. Frank Albo’s interpretations. I’ve been in the building many times – for other tours, showing visiting friends and attending concerts or Christmas celebrations. During my university days, I had a summer job with one of the government departments in the basement. I will be looking at the building with different eyes in future visits.

Note that for 2024 there are no scheduled public hermetic code tours because of restrictions at the Manitoba Legislative Building. It may be possible to schedule private tours for groups of 15 to 25 people. See Heartland International Travel & Tours Hermetic Code Tour . Note that Dr. Albo no longer leads the tours because he no longer lives in Winnipeg. The owner of the tour company, who conducted the tours jointly with Dr. Albo for years, now leads the tours.

You can, however, take a more generalized tour of the Manitoba Legislative Building and see its many decorations, symbols, and fascinating features. See the visiting information on the Manitoba Legislative Building website .

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50 Comments

Completely fascinating! Beautiful building and to think you have your own DaVinci code right there. Obviously, Dr. Albo is passionate about this…what a great tour guide to have!

Jacquie, I think it is fascinating and it was great to have such a passionate guide.

Freemason codes. Donna, why don’t you write a “Dan Brown” thriller based on it? If you promote it the right way even if it’s an ebook you could easily become a millionaire and make sure your old age is everything you ever dreamed of.

Catarina, I think the “Dan Brown” thing has been done, but this could be an interesting setting in a story. Something to think about.

This is so uncanny Donna. When we went to Italy with my son and his family earlier this year, he brought the book along – Hermes: The Hermetica! Sounds like some of what your guide told you and what is in the book are similar. Secrets no more!

That is interesting Pat. I wonder what your son would think of the tour.

This is fascinating. Donna, you tell this story so well that you totally kept me enthralled right to the end. What a gorgeous building but that fact takes second place to the information you provided. I wonder what F.W. Simon was thinking when he designed the building – was he trying to put something over on everybody or was he such a devoted Freemason that he just took advantage of the opportunity presented. No matter what, it makes the building seem that much more wonderful.

Thanks Lenie. It’s hard to speculate as to what exactly F.W. Simon was thinking, but Dr. Albo has done a lot of research about it.

Hi Donna, I took this same tour a couple of years ago, and like you, I too was fascinated by what I learned. It’s amazing what we can learn about our own hometowns, if we take the time to do so, as you have pointed out in your various writings about Winnipeg. Always enjoy your posts.

Thanks Eva. I’d read bits and pieces about Dr. Albo’s findings and wondered if I’d find the tour interesting because I did know some of the story. I didn’t know everything he covered and even the parts that were familiar were still fascinating. I love exploring my hometown.

Fantastic post, Donna! We have the book, but I have never taken Frank Albo’s tour. Your photos are terrific. Thx for sharing this info here. Did you know that the New Iceland Heritage Museum in Gimli currently has an exhibit on the Secrets of Masonry? You might enjoy it.

Doreen, I’ve heard that the museum in Gimli is pretty good in general. It is on my list of places in Manitoba to get to.

As usual your photos were wonderful. They draw you. I was impressed with the Canadian architecture and this was so beautiful. Dr. Albo made the tour interesting and kept your interest. Would have been the same if one just looked at the building inside on their own? I doubt it.

Thanks Arleen. I suppose one could go through the building on one’s own with the book as a guide, but you’re right – I don’t think it would be the same.

I’ve never heard of the numerical sequence 666 having anything to do with he sun. Very interesting. I love learning the history of older buildings and this is definitely a fascinating spin on history.

Erica, this is definitely a different spin on a building’s history.

A number of years ago I narrated a number of books about “Secret Societies” for Audible and all of them discussed The Freemasons as part of the occult. In fact, they said these societies actually own the most powerful people not only in government but entertainment, banking, and business They tied them all to the “Illuminate”. I don’t know about all of that. It does seem that historical bulidings were works of art and were designed to make statements or represent popular belief systems and values.

Pamela, the books sound interesting. There is a lot of information about the Freemasons and secret societies out there – I don’t know how much of it is true. I think you’re right about historical buildings being designed with meaning.

This is fascinating Donna. I don’t remember ever hearing so much meaning being ascribed to a modern-era government building of any type. Nor do I remember ever hearing of someone with a degree in esotericism. I can barely even spell it.

Ken, I wondered about that degrees in esotericism too. What exactly would one study?

Wow how interesting Donna! I’ve seen this building but only from a distance. I really am amazed at how people can pick out such details and form theories around them. I’ve always enjoyed learning about history, but I’m afraid the complexity of most secret societies and conspiracy theories fly right over my head. 🙂

There are a lot of complexities in the interpretation of the building, with every small detail being ascribed significance. Was that really the intent or is it just how someone has chosen to interpret it now? I’m not sure – but it is very interesting.

What beautiful pictures! Thanks for sharing.

Thanks Sabrina

We hear about these secret masonic symbols all over the place. These so called “conspiracy historians” prey upon peoples misunderstanding of the past. You must remember that these masonic symbols were also symbols used by everyone. Go back in time when most people could not read or write. Even though they were never taught letters, they were taught symbols. So when we built buildings, those symbols were engraved into them. This has carried on as a type of architecture. I can imagine 1,000 years ago, when our ancestors dig up our buildings, they will find a silhouette on a bathroom door, and think it is a secret masonic symbol.

William, I too sometimes wonder how historians in the future will interpret the relics of our times. Accurate or not, I find it fascinating to hear how some people attribute meanings to the symbols of the past.

Wonderful guided tour, Donna! I feel like I took a wee bit of a trip this morning and I’m still in my p.j.s! I love hearing the behind the scenes stories of buildings and their creation, so would totally be up for this tour. If I ever make it to Manitoba…

Glad you enjoyed the tour, Rose Mary/

Loved this post, Donna and your photos were gorgeous – I felt like I was on the tour with you! It’s amazing how a great tour guide will give you a totally different understanding of a place and point out things that an uninformed person just notices in passing. I’d love to see this building but this post also reminds me that I need to be more observant of other grand and noble buildings as well! Anita

Anita, it is a good reminder to pay more attention to the details of architecture. Glad you enjoyed the photos. It is a beautiful building, whether you believe Dr. Albo’s interpretation or not.

Donna — thanks for the tour of this beautiful building. Government buildings of old were beautifully designed, almost cathedral like. Today, they are square boxes with no charm at all. I hadn’t heard of the Fibonacci sequence. Always something new to learn.

Thanks Jeannette.

Not sure that I’m convinced by Dr Albo’s arguments, but the building is impressive and his tour must give a different perspective.

Karen, the building is impressive whether you are convinced by Dr. Albo’s arguments or not. His tour certainly made me look more closely at features of the building.

What a cool tour. It’s life imitating ‘art’ as I recall the National Treasure movies. The times are very different today than the zeitgeist of America when the building was erected.

Elaine, it is a pretty cool tour. I haven’t seen the National Treasure movies, but I get the similarity after reading the description of the movies.

As a former Winnipegger I’m especially fascinated by this post as I often wondered about the mysteries of the Manitoba Legislative Building when I grew up. I seem to remember the King Tut exhibit being held in its interior which added even more fuel to its mystique. The Hermetic Code tour sounds like a great way to explore the hidden depths of this intriguing building!

Michele, the tour was a great way to explore the building. There are also more conventional tours of the building available too.

I love just about any tour led by a passionate guide…they can be great storytellers and advocates for a point of view! It is easy to see how you could be overwhelmed by all the detail, but a hermetic tour sounds pretty cool.

Anita, I agree that a passionate guide makes a tour great. I was surprised at how excited Dr. Albo still was about the building after all the tours he’s given.

I used to teach Thutmose 111, one of the greatest pharaohs of the New Kingdom. Would love to know more about why he is in Manitoba.

Paula, it’s interesting that you used to teach Thutmose 111. From what I’ve read and what I remember from the tour, Dr. Albo believes he is on the Manitoba Legislature because some consider him the founder of one of the first secret societies and true founder of freemasonry, although the organization of freemasons dates only to the 14th century.

What a cool building, and so many secrets. Thanks for the tour.

It makes one wonder about secrets in other buildings and whether we are interpreting them correctly or not.

You did it again (after being absent for a week!)! This is such a comprehensive talk about an interesting perspective of a building. I wonder if legislative buildings in other provinces or states also have this inspiration in their architecture?

Carol, it would be interesting to see if this inspiration applies to other legislative buildings. I think more meaning was often incorporated into buildings in the past.

What a fascinating tour Donna and led by such a knowledgeable gentlemean. The relationshiop with the numbers has always fascinated me especially when it dates back to so long ago. Fancy the same ratio appearing in two both the Parthenon and the Pyramids.

Jenny, the mathematics connections to ancient building fascinates me too. How did they know?

Goosebumps. I live in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in the United States. Many of the “founding fathers” who wrote our Declaration of Independence and US Constitution were Freemasons and many of our colonial era buildings also have Freemason secret symbols.

Suzanne, it’s interesting to hear about the Freemason secret symbols in Philadelphia’s colonial era buildings. I wonder how many other buildings in North America contain the symbols.