Visiting Edmonton and exploring its picturesque scenery, biggest shopping malls, museums, etc., is worth your time and money. Read here!
What is Edmonton famous for?
The city of Edmonton is the capital of the English-speaking Canadian province of Alberta. Over the two hundred years of its history, the city of Edmonton has grown significantly and has become one of the intellectual, commercial, and industrial centers of Canada.
At present, it intricately combines business districts, built up with skyscrapers, and cozy, peaceful, quiet areas, where the wooden houses of the city’s residents are located, surrounded by many parks and gardens. Here is what Edmonton is famous for and why you should visit Alberta’s capital. Read on!
Cultural Capital of Canada
Edmonton is the Cultural Capital of Canada. The city has many theaters, museums, and other similar institutions. In 1997, the Francis Winsper Music Center was opened in Edmonton. The acoustics of this concert hall is one of the best in Canada.
The center serves as the home of the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra and hosts tours by renowned performers and musical groups worldwide. The Old Strathcona area is home to the Edmonton Theater District, where several theaters are concentrated, such as the Catalyst Theater, the Walterdale Theater, and others.
Moreover, Edmonton’s most prominent theater is located at 102 Avenue and is called the Citadel Theater after the Salvation Army Citadel. It has as many as five halls and is one of the largest complexes of its kind in Canada.
Diverse Museums
There are about two dozen museums in the city. The most famous one is the Royal Alberta Museum, which opened in the late sixties of the last century. It has three large sections: halls dedicated to natural science, galleries of the virgin nature of the province of Alberta, and lobbies that tell about the culture of the ancient peoples who inhabited this province.
Besides, Fort Edmonton Museum Park, Canada’s largest open-air history museum, features exhibitions on the founding and development of the city and its environs. The city’s art gallery also deserves attention, containing more than five thousand exhibits covering the period from the ancient world to the modern era.
In the city center, in the airport hangar, there is the Alberta Aviation Museum, where you can see more than twenty civil and military aircraft, including the largest Boeing 737. One of the three Canadian cruise missiles is also located here. Every summer in Edmonton, an air show is held where you can watch the flights of modern fighters.
Shopping Malls
The city is home to the famous shopping center known as West Edmonton Mall. It covers an area of almost 50 hectares and is the largest on the planet. There are many retail outlets and cultural institutions, catering establishments, hotels, etc.
In addition, you can visit three cinemas, three theaters, more than a hundred restaurants with a wide variety of cuisines, as well as a casino, an amusement park, a water park with an underwater garden.
Here you can go ice skating or play golf. About 800 shops, boutiques, and shops of this center offer a massive assortment of a wide variety of goods and souvenirs. So, these things make West Edmonton Mall the best place to visit with your family or friends.
Scenic Beauty
Edmonton is a cultural and commercial city of new Alberta and a well-known resort and tourist center of this province. Numerous parks stretch for many kilometers along the North Saskatchewan River, which originates in the mountains of Jasper National Park.
The area is more than 100 square kilometers, and it has 22 parks, eleven lakes, and fourteen gorges. In total, almost 100 kilometers of running and cycling paths and lanes for pedestrians have been laid here. Among these parks, there are numerous places to have fun or relax.
Year-Round Festivals
Edmonton is famous for its many festivals. They are held in the city center in the District of Arts, the heart of which is the W. Churchill Square. Each year, Edmonton hosts the National Music Festival, Raft Race, Prank Festival, Livestock Fair, Cowboy Festival, Jazz Festival, Sino-Canadian Summer Festival, Theater Festival, and many other events.
Final Words
Edmonton is one of the best cultural and educational centers in Canada. Also known as Canada’s cultural capital, it is home to some of the world’s beautiful landmarks, attractions, shopping malls, parks, museums, and restaurants. We recommend visiting this Canadian city to enjoy and create memories. Good Luck!
- Article based on personal opinion, experience and research.
- Photos from Unsplash & canva.