Visitors entering City Hall from Nathan Phillips Square walk directly into a large and distinctive rotunda. The floor is made of Carrara marble imported from Italy, cut in Canada and laid by hand. The ceiling consists of aluminum strips that can be snapped out of position

to give maintenance staff access to wiring and other equipment. In the middle of the rotunda, a massive, reinforced concrete column, measuring six metres across, one metre thick, and goes down 16 metres into the bedrock beneath the building's foundation, supports the 4000 tonne Council Chamber above. The core of the column is actually hollow. It contains electrical cables, plumbing, and heating and air-conditioning equipment that service the Council Chamber.

The Hall of Memory is located at the base of the column. A few steps below grade, there is a glass book case containing the "Golden Book of Remembrance", inscribed with the names of 3500 Torontonians who died during World War II. Two flags flank the display case: one, the Canadian flag; the other, the Union Jack (included because Canada is a member of the British Commonwealth).

White plaques on the wall bear the insignia of Canadian Armed Forces units that have been headquartered in Toronto since 1793.

Part way down the short staircase, positioned in the actual centre of City Hall, is a cylinder containing a leaden time capsule. Inside the time capsule are municipal handbooks, coins, stamps and the three daily newspapers printed on the day of City Hall's dedication: November 7, 1962.

Behind the Hall of Memory, large banners welcome visitors in a number of different languages. A scale model of the HMCS Toronto, a Canadian naval frigate, is on display beneath the banners.

Along the east wall of the rotunda, just inside the front door, is artist David Partridge's Metropolis, a mural made entirely of nails.

The name of City Hall architect Viljo Revell has been etched into a large support column just opposite Metropolis. Mr. Revell passed away not long before the construction of Toronto City Hall was completed.

A scale model of the area of Toronto bordered by Dufferin Street to the west, Bloor to the north, the Don River valley and west edge of Riverdale to the east, and Lake Ontario to the south is on view on the west side of rotunda near the front door.

The scale model has been designed in such a way that visitors can readily pick out historical buildings and key landmarks. They can also see where future development is planned.

Public service counters are located around the perimeter of the rotunda. Additional public service counters are available in "permit alley", on the main floor, just west of the rotunda. Residents can obtain building permits, parking permits and a variety of other services at City Hall. General information regarding City services is available at the information counter in the centre of the rotunda near the entrance to the building from Nathan Phillips Square.

Nearby is a Toronto Archives display of historic photographs.

The Café on the Square and a branch of the Toronto Public Library are also located on the first floor of City Hall, as are a day care centre, offices for the City Hall press gallery, and a credit union for municipal employees.