Ottawa: The Almost Accidental Capital

In 1857, Queen Victoria shocked everyone by picking Ottawa—a little-known lumber town—as Canada's capital. For years, Toronto, Montreal, Kingston, and Quebec City had been in a wrestling match to host the Games, each one convinced it should be the honored city. Read more now on canada capital

Parliament Hill, with its towering Gothic Revival architecture, hides a twist of fate. The architecture could easily pass for Canada's answer to Hogwarts. Every fifteen minutes, the Peace Tower carillon chimes float across the city.

Beneath the stunning façades lies a quirky history. Back then, Ottawa wasn't exactly first on anyone's wishlist. It started as a scrappy lumber town called "Bytown," named after Colonel John By of Rideau Canal fame.

Everyone was flabbergasted by the capital choice. Montreal had people, Toronto had cash, and Quebec City had heritage. And Ottawa had something else: it was on the border between French and English Canada, a symbolic bridge between the two founding cultures of the nation.

Picture Parliament Hill back in the day—not the postcard-perfect scene you see now. The buildings burned down in 1916 in a great fire in which seven men lost their lives. The Centre Block was up in flames until the Library of Parliament was saved when staff took fast action and closed its iron doors.

You can't talk about Ottawa without mentioning the weather. For months, the city is frozen with iron claws. Thermometers dive to a frosty minus 30 Celsius.

Government is the lifeblood of Ottawa's economy and culture. A hefty slice of the workforce suits up for government gigs. Around here, there are two constants: snow and construction zones.

Ottawa embodies the paradox of being a capital city. It is trumpeted by politicians while their funding is slashed. Tourists flock to Parliament Hill, but you won't find them in real neighborhoods.

If you stick around, Ottawa's hidden delights emerge. Across the river, Gatineau Park offers a playground of hiking trails. In the Ottawa River are hidden beaches.

Ottawa, picked for practicality, evolved into a graceful capital. Ottawa isn't Montreal, Toronto, or Quebec City, but it's as Canadian as maple syrup.