Ottawa, Capital city in Ontario, Canada
Ottawa is the federal capital of Canada in Ontario, situated on the southern bank of the Ottawa River where the government district rises on a hill above the water. The city spreads along several waterways and connects with Gatineau through three bridges at the mouth of the Rideau River.
Queen Victoria designated the location as the national capital in 1857, ending the competition among Quebec City, Toronto, Montreal and Kingston for the role. Before that decision, the settlement had been a timber trading center at the mouth of the canal, whose construction in the 1820s had set the city's growth in motion.
Residents move between two languages, English and French, so signs and conversations often carry both. In cafés and at markets, the daily rhythm of government workers and students mingles with visitors who sit on river-facing terraces and watch the city unfold.
The O-Train light rail connects the eastern and western parts of the city through 13 stations, carrying thousands of passengers each day. Those who move on foot find paths along the waterways and among government buildings that offer good orientation.
The Rideau Canal transforms into a 7.8-kilometer (4.8-mile) skating path during winter, where residents glide to work and school. Along the ice, vendors sell freshly baked beavertails, a flat pastry served hot.
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