Canada is a country with an interesting and great history. In order to understand it better, it is worth visiting certain monuments that are considered the cultural heritage of Toronto. So, you should include and see at least the top 5 monuments in Toronto.
1. Ontario Veterans’ Memorial
This memorial is dedicated to Ontario veterans who served during the war. Ontario Veterans’ Memorial was opened in September 2006, after the greatest military parade in Toronto. This is a 30-meter granite wall located in Queen’s Park. It depicts the Canadian Army in peaceful time and wartime since 1867. It was unveiled by veterans, dignitaries and soldiers. The wall was by Allan Hardy. Except the images you can also see inscriptions from the writer Jane Urquhart and historic Jack Granatstein. Around the memorial wall is a stone-paved area, a recreation area, paths and lawns with flower beds.
2. Ireland Park
Ireland Park is located on the banks of the Ontario River, and opened in 2007. This park honors the victims of the famine and the people who fled Ireland during the hunger. In 1847, women, men and children (in total of 38,000 people) landed at Toronto, escaping from hunger and seeking for a new life and opportunities to survive. Moreover, there is a wall in the park, which depicts with its images the citizens of Toronto, who dedicated their lives, in order to help Irish people.
The park was designed and developed by an architect from Toronto Jonathan Kearns, an Irish immigrant.
The President of Ireland and the Prime Minister of Ontario were present at the opening ceremony of this monumental park.
3. Ontario Firefighters Memorial
This memorial is dedicated to fallen firefighters who saved properties and lives of thousand people. The bronze statue depicts a firefighter rescuing the child from the fire and saving its life. The black granite construction represents a burning building.
The opening ceremony of Ontario Firefighters Memorial took place in June 2005. In 1848, a fire broke out in a shoe shop located on King Street. The fire quickly spread to neighboring streets other shops and even apartments. The memorial is surrounded with granite walls with 344 names engraved on them. It’s the names of those rescuers who have sacrificed their lives, in order to save others.
4. The Glenn Gould Gathering
The Glenn Gould Gathering is the statue of a famous Canadian pianist. Glenn Gould is depicted sitting on a bench and staring into the distance.
Being a child, Gould declared his desire to become a composer. At the age of 12, he wrote the libretto of an opera where humanity destroys itself. You should agree that it was pretty genius for a 12-year-old boy to create such a masterpiece. So, you can imagine how talented Glenn was.
Over the years, he became a well-known composer and pianist. Glenn gave concerts in differen,t countries and cities. However, he was quite an interesting person with his own worldview.
This statue perfectly represents his character, that’s why it’s so exciting to visit it.
5. The Toronto Inukshuk Park
This park is a great place to have a stroll or relax. Trees, trails and an incredible view of Lake Ontario are waiting for you there. You can have picnics in this park as there are many green lawns. However, in addition to all these entertainments, there is a famous statue of Inkshuk in the park.
An Inukshuk is an Inuit stone structure often found in arctic landscapes. It is believed that it serves as a guide for travelers, providing a spatial orientation. In Toronto there is one of the highest Inkshuk (30 meters in height). Steps lead up to the massive structure. This Inkshuk was created as a legacy project.
