Ads
related to: Ottawa CanadaFind discounts on the best Ottawa Canada. Tripadvisor helps you spend less. Detailed reviews and recent photos. Know what to expect before you book.
- Things to Do
How Will You Spend Your Time?
Discover Places Travelers Love.
- Luxury Hotels
Indulge in the Royal Treatment.
Experience the Absolute Best.
- View Hotel Photos
Find your dream hotel with
TripAdvisor!
- Bed And Breakfast...
Discover The Best Nantucket hotels.
Book Your TripAdvisor today!
- Find Hotels
Find the Perfect Hotel & Experience
A Vacation You'll Love!
- Cheap Ottawa Hotels
What's the #1 Hotel in Ottawa? See
Deals for Ottawa Hotels!
- Things to Do
Top 10 Best Ottawa Canada Hotels (2023). The Coolest 5 Star Luxury Hotels. Our Hand-Picked Guide to the Best Ottawa Canada Hotels for 2023. Small Boutique Hotels.
Book Vacation Rentals in Ottawa, Ontario. Filter by Amenities, Photos, Reviews and More. Find the Perfect Place for Your Family with Plenty of Space to Relax and Reconnect.
Find Top Rated Tours in Ottawa ! Book Activities on Viator. Quick & Easy Purchase Process. Full Refund Available up to 24 Hours Before Your Tour Date
Cheap Hotels. Find the Best Accommodation Deals for Your Next Stay with KAYAK®. Everything You Need to Know to Travel Smart and Stay Safe! Book Now.
Search results
As of 2021, Ottawa had a city population of 1,017,449 and a metropolitan population of 1,488,307, making it the fourth-largest city and fourth-largest metropolitan area in Canada. Ottawa is the political centre of Canada and the headquarters of the federal government.
- Canada
- 1855 as City of Ottawa
- 70 m (230 ft)
- 613, 343, 753
Feb 12, 2021 · 11 Best Things To Do in Ottawa. Updated February 12, 2021. Ottawa was designed with tourists in mind: There's plenty to see and do, and everything is just a short walk away. First off, there...
Jul 28, 2021 · Find out what to do, where to stay and where to eat during your visit to Ottawa. Welcome to the official website for tourism in Ottawa, Canada's capital — where you can discover the country’s best attractions, celebrations and flavours!
- Overview
- History
Ottawa, city, capital of Canada, located in southeastern Ontario. In the eastern extreme of the province, Ottawa is situated on the south bank of the Ottawa River across from Gatineau, Quebec, at the confluence of the Ottawa (Outaouais), Gatineau, and Rideau rivers. The Ottawa River (some 790 miles [1,270 km] long), the principal tributary of the St. Lawrence River, was a key factor in the city’s settlement and development; its watershed, covering more than 57,000 square miles (148,000 square km), facilitated the transport of resources such as furs, timber, and minerals from the region. The river’s Chaudière Falls, just west of the Rideau Canal, while initially a navigational hazard for the fur trade and later for the transport of logging rafts, ultimately proved to be an asset in the production of hydroelectric power for the city and a boon to the growth of industry.
Originally a trading and lumbering community that grew into a town of regional significance, Ottawa was named the capital of the Province of Canada in 1857 and retained that status when Canada became a dominion within the British Commonwealth in 1867. Because of its location on the boundary between English-speaking Ontario and French-speaking Quebec and its position as national capital, Ottawa is one of the most bilingual cities in the country. Area, 1,077 square miles (2,790 square km); Ottawa-Gatineau metro. area, 2,427 square miles (6,287 square km). Pop. (2011) 883,391; Ottawa-Gatineau metro. area, 1,254,919; (2021) 1,017,449; Ottawa-Gatineau metro. area, 1,488,307.
The earliest inhabitants of the Ottawa region were members of the Algonquin First Nation (Native Americans), who established settlements in the Ottawa River valley. The tribe known as the Ottawa (Outaouais), however, settled in the area for only a short period during the mid-1600s; their traditional territory was considerably farther west on Lake Huron. They were well known as traders (the name Ottawa is believed to be derived from an Algonquian word meaning “to trade”), and they took part in the local fur trade.
The first descriptions of Ottawa’s future site were written in 1613 by the founder of New France, Samuel de Champlain. The rivers served as passageways for explorers and fur traders over the following two centuries. In 1763 France ceded all of New France east of the Mississippi River to Great Britain under the Treaty of Paris. The Napoleonic Wars (1792–1815) increased Britain’s need for shipbuilding timber, and the Ottawa River valley offered just such resources. In 1800 a group of farmers from Massachusetts led by Philemon Wright established the area’s first permanent town, Wrightsville, north of the Ottawa River. (It was incorporated in 1875 as the city of Hull, now part of Gatineau.) Wright began harvesting trees in 1806, giving rise to a timber trade that attracted lumberjacks and other itinerant workers. Permanent settlement on the south bank of the river did not occur until the following decade, when, during the War of 1812 between Britain and the United States, it became apparent that the St. Lawrence River between Montreal and Kingston, Ontario, was vulnerable to attack as both a military and an economic target. The British proposed turning the Rideau River into a canal to serve as an alternate shipping and transportation route, diverting traffic up the Ottawa River to Chaudière Falls and back down to Kingston. Lieut. Col. John By of the Royal Engineers was in charge of constructing the more than 126-mile- (203-km-) long canal (1826–32). He also surveyed and laid out a town site on the south bank as a place of residence for his workers and himself; that village became known as Bytown. It was incorporated as a town in 1850 and as the city of Ottawa in 1855.
Britannica Quiz
Capital Cities by Continent Quiz, Easier Edition
The Rideau Canal was never used as a military route, but its importance in the transportation of timbers, goods, and people was the main factor in the city’s early growth, especially during the period of high U.S. demand for forest products that lasted through the 1800s. Political unrest within Britain’s Canadian colonies (including armed rebellion in 1837) resulted in Britain’s unification of the separate colonies of Upper and Lower Canada into one province, the Province of Canada (1841). When it came time to designate a capital for united Canada, however, political quarrels between rival cities, such as between Quebec city and Toronto and between Montreal and Kingston, induced leaders to call upon Queen Victoria to settle the question. The queen selected Ottawa in late 1857. Although Ottawa was a strong candidate because of its location and its accessibility by rail, the choice still surprised many, given the city’s relatively small size and its identification primarily with the processing and distribution of lumber. When the Dominion of Canada was formed a decade later, Ottawa remained the capital, and it continued to grow as a major administrative centre.
A large portion of Ottawa was razed by a fire in 1900 that destroyed Hull, and in 1916 another fire consumed most of the Parliament Buildings. Reconstruction began soon afterward, and the Centre Block was completed in 1922. The growth of civil service jobs was slow but expanded in response to events such as World War I, the institution of an income tax, the Great Depression of the 1930s, and World War II. Still, the capital city, to all appearances, remained an industrial pulp and paper mill town, with smokestacks and railways dominating the waterfront.
- Brett Mcgillivray
- Explore ByWard Market. Address: ByWard Market Area, Ottawa. If you are in Ottawa, you have to explore the ByWard Market area. The historic market area is filled with some shops, restaurants and bars.
- Visit The Rideau Canal + Bytown Museum. Address of Bytown Museum: 1 Canal Ln, Ottawa, ON K1P 5P6. As Ontario’s only UNESCO World Heritage Site in the “Cultural” category, the Rideau Canal is also a must-see.
- Do a Boat Cruise/Tour of the Ottawa River. Address for Lady Dive Tour: Leaves from the end of Sparks Street near Elgin Street. Speaking of water, if seeing the city from land isn’t exciting enough, you can always opt for a boat cruise on the Ottawa River!
- Check Out the National Gallery of Canada. Address: 380 Sussex Dr, Ottawa, ON K1N 9N4, Canada. Known for the giant spider out front and the fact that you’ll see lots of Canadian art, the National Gallery of Canada is one of those must-see places in Ottawa!
People also ask
What is Ottawa known for?
Where is Ottawa located?
Is Ottawa a good place to live?
How many people live in Ottawa Canada?
Feb 25, 2024 · No matter the season, Canada’s Capital is a treasure trove of impressive sights and stimulating activities. From world-renown historic places to outdoor adventure and everything in between, here are the top ten things you don’t want to miss when you visit Ottawa: 1. Parliament Hill.
Experience the best festivals, nightlife, outdoor activities, restaurants, museums and more, that Canada’s capital city — Ottawa — has to offer. More. Connect with Indigenous culture. Enrich your visit to Ottawa when you connect with Indigenous cultures native to Canada with Indigenous storytellers, makers and business owners. More.
Ads
related to: Ottawa CanadaFind discounts on the best Ottawa Canada. Tripadvisor helps you spend less. Detailed reviews and recent photos. Know what to expect before you book.
Top 10 Best Ottawa Canada Hotels (2023). The Coolest 5 Star Luxury Hotels. Our Hand-Picked Guide to the Best Ottawa Canada Hotels for 2023. Small Boutique Hotels.
- Winter Sale: Up to 30% off Select Stays
Book Vacation Rentals in Ottawa, Ontario. Filter by Amenities, Photos, Reviews and More. Find the Perfect Place for Your Family with Plenty of Space to Relax and Reconnect.