What to See in Ottawa (Canada)

By | July 9, 2022

According to SIMPLYYELLOWPAGES, Ottawa is the capital of Canada. The city is located on the banks of the river of the same name in the southeastern part of the province of Ontario. Ottawa became the capital of Canada by order of Queen Victoria in 1857.

In the city’s historic center, on a peninsula formed by the confluence of the Ottawa River and the Rideau Canal, is the city’s main landmark, Parliament Hill. It houses a complex of parliamentary buildings, made in the Gothic style. The complex was built in 1922 on the site of the destroyed Parliament building of the mid-19th century. Only the Library has survived from the original buildings. The Peace Tower occupies the central place in the complex of parliamentary buildings.92.2 m high. The Peace Tower was erected in honor of the Canadians who died during the First World War. An observation gallery runs along the perimeter of the tower, from where the whole city is visible, there is also a carillon with 53 bells and a clock. Inside the parliamentary buildings, of interest are the Confederation Hall, the Memorial Chamber with a massive book, which lists the names of Canadians who died during the First and Second World Wars, and the office of the first Prime Minister of Canada, John A. Macdonald. Numerous monuments of prominent personalities are erected in front of the Parliament buildings, and the Eternal Flame burns on the square.

In the morning hours, the ceremony of changing the guard of honor takes place on Parliament Hill. From the east, Parliament Hill is bounded by the Rideau Canal, which links Ottawa to the city of Kingston. located on the northern shore of Lake Ontario. In winter, a skating rink opens on a 7.8 km section of the canal, passing through the historic center of Ottawa. This is the longest skating rink in the world. South of Parliament Hill is the Canadian Museum of Natural History – the main natural history museum in the country. It exhibits a variety of plant and animal species from around the world, both modern and ancient, as well as geological collections.

On the other side of the Rideau Canal at the Alexander Bridge spanning the Ottawa River, is Nipean Point Hill. In 1915, a monument to the French traveler Samuel de Champlain was erected on the hill. From here you can see two spiers located nearby Cathedral of Notre Dame. The cathedral was built in 1866 on the site of a destroyed wooden church from the early 19th century. Now Notre Dame Cathedral is the oldest church in Ottawa. It is made in a mixed style, in which there are features of neo-gothic and neoclassical. The interior of the cathedral is decorated with wall paintings and hundreds of sculptures. Opposite the cathedral, near the Ottawa Riverfront, is the National Art Gallery of Canada , which was created at the end of the 19th century. It contains about 40,000 art objects: paintings, sculptures and photographs. Much attention is paid to Canadian art in the gallery, in addition to this, you can also see the works of foreign masters. The gallery also contains an extensive collection of contemporary art. Further along the Ottawa Riverfront are the Canadian War Museum and the Numismatics Museum, housed in the Bank of Canada building. Next to the Canadian Military Museum in 1988, a Russian architect built a temple-monument to the 1000th anniversary of the Baptism of Russia. Not far from here lies the old shopping district of Byward., known for its shops, restaurants, bars and nightclubs. East of the Rideau River, which runs parallel to the canal of the same name, the Rideau Hall building is interesting. From 1867 until recently, the residence of the Governors General of Canada was located here. Now Rideau Hall is the place where the Governor General of Canada holds meetings and diplomatic meetings. The Rideau Hall complex includes more than 20 buildings, as well as forest plantations, parks and gardens stretching around them. The total area of the territory is 0.36 sq. km. The main building of Rideau Hall has 175 rooms, where you can see furniture, paintings and sculptures of the 19th century and modern decor elements.

On the other side of the Ottawa River is interesting Museum of Civilization, which tells about the history of the country. The museum’s collections include several million exhibits on the culture of the indigenous peoples and the history of the European colonization of Canada. Also on the right bank of the Ottawa River, on an area of ​​​​35 thousand hectares, is the most popular urban recreation area – Gatinet Park. There is an ice skating rink, swimming pools, walking and cycling paths and specially equipped picnic areas. Other parks in Ottawa suitable for recreation include Vincent Massey, Rockliffe, Andrew Hydon, Major Hill, as well as Provincial, Confederate and Jacques Cartier parks.

In Ottawa, tourists are offered exciting excursions along the Ottawa River. on an old ship and along the Rideau Canal and its locks, which were built at the beginning of the 19th century. The cruise along the Rideau Canal, which starts in Ottawaand ends in the city of Kingston, is a historical route, because in the era of colonization these lands were among the first to be settled by Europeans, and the English loyalists who lived here later left an indelible mark on the culture of the region.

Northwest of Ottawa, all the way to Lake Huron , is the Elongwin Provincial Park. It was established in 1893 and was Canada ‘s first provincial park. Its area is 7630 sq. km. Dense forests grow here, there are more than 2,000 thousand lakes and many rivers flow. Rivers of the park, in particular Ottawa and Madawaska are considered among the best rivers for white water rafting east of the Rocky Mountains. The lakes of Elongwin Park are good for a relaxing beach holiday and fishing.

Ottawa (Canada)