Ottawa, Canada Photo Gallery

Nestled on the banks of the Ottawa and Rideau Rivers, approximately 200 kilometres west of Montreal and 400 kilometres northeast of Toronto, Ottawa is Canada's capital city. Founded in 1826 and formerly called Bytown, Ottawa was named Canada's capital by Queen Victoria in 1857, with its location picked because it would be difficult for the Americans to invade from the south. Parliament consists of 3 buildings atop Parliament Hill. The Centre Block, the main building with the distinctive Peace Tower, houses the chambers of the House of Commons and the Senate. The East Block housed the first Prime Minister's office. Members of Parliment work from the West Block.
The Ottawa River flows into the St. Lawrence River after a 1270km journey along the Ontario-Quebec border.
Unlike the Americans, Canada charges hefty admission fees for its national-level museums. The War Museum has a good collection, especially the vehicles at the end of the tour.
The Museum of Civilization is on the Quebec side of the border.
Outside, the views towards Parliament Hill were lovely. Ottawa is not a highrise city, with these government buildings dominating the skyline.