A unique tourist attraction on PEI is the Bottle Houses and Gardens in Cap-Egmont. Here there is a chapel, a six gabled house, and a tavern made of recycled bottles cemented together. Over 25,000 bottles have been used to create this place surrounded by beautiful gardens and a fishpond. The serenity of the place together with the unique buildings offers one a chance to relax and truly enjoy the surroundings.
Edouard Arsenault conceived this idea in 1980, 45 years ago. He received a postcard of a glass castle on Vancouver Island, British Columbia. He began collecting bottles from dance halls, the legion, restaurants, and the dump. As the project continued, people brought bottles to him from all over the world. He began cementing bottles together. The six gabled house was the first building he finished, using about 10,000 bottles. In 1981 the first bottle house was open to the public.
The next building he constructed was the Tavern, using about 8,000 bottles. This portrayed his fun-loving personality,
The third was the chapel which used about 12,000 bottles. The chapel contains pews and an altar made of bottles. At sunset a symphony of light streams from behind the altar, giving one a sense of peace and tranquility. The pump organ still works. (Bob tested it out.). The chapel is used for small memorial services and weddings.
In the 70s, local Roman Catholic parishes discarded their used, colorful votive candle holders. Edouard collected them as well for re-use. He made bottle crosses with them and other artifacts.
These buildings portray sustainable architecture in a unique way. The bottle walls provide various advantages such as sustainability, aesthetics, cost-effective waste management, and an added benefit is that they are bulletproof! As light shines through the bottles, they create kaleidoscopic patterns of stained-glass colors on the floor of the structure. This creates a magical feeling when you enter the space.
Together with the building, the lovely, extensive gardens accentuate the feeling of peace and tranquility. One can sit for hours listening to the water of the stream, looking at and smelling the flowers and contemplating this extraordinary place.
Next week, you will see how the potato is king on the island.