As the capital city of Canada, Ottawa plays a significant role in Canada's history, culture and diversity. Ottawa wrestles with its reputation as a bureaucratic labyrinth of little charm and character.
Ottawa's cosmopolitan character is evident in the blend of cultures found at busy Byward Market, teeming with restaurants & bars, shops and pubs. The city's most popular attraction is Parliament Hill and the Federal Parliament Buildings. Many national museums and galleries make their home here, and are in themselves cultural icons. The National Gallery and the Museum of Civilization are among the best known. There are plenty of parks in Ottawa, and the Rideau Canal is well used with 10 km (6 mi) of pathways around it. In the summer, the canal is popular with canoeists, and in the winter, it becomes the world's longest ice rink.
Ottawa is situated at the confluence of two rivers, the Ottawa and the Rideau. Ottawa is situated part way between Toronto and Montreal at the eastern edge of Ontario. The distance from Toronto is 500 kilometers while Montreal is 200 kilometers away.
Parliament Hill of Ottawa
Perched on the limestone bluff of Parliament Hill, above the Ottawa River, Canada’s handsome Parliament Buildings have, with their spires, pointed windows and overweening clock tower, a distinctly ecclesiastical air. Comprising a trio of strudy neo-Gothic structures, the complex was begun in 1859 after the land was purchased form the British army, who had plonked a barracks here during the land was construction of the Rideau Canal.
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