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Ottawa
The federal capital is situated on the south bank of the Ottawa River facing the French-speaking city of Hull in Québec. The imposing Gothic-style Parliament Buildings overlook the confluence of the rivers Ottawa, Rideau and Gatineau and are surmounted by the 92m (302ft) Peace Tower, affording a panoramic view of the city and its surroundings. Guided tours are available. The colourful Changing of the Guard ceremony takes place here daily in July and August. Confederation Square, site of the National War Memorial, is the focal point of central Ottawa. The National Arts Center, a hexagonal complex on the banks of the Rideau Canal, houses an opera company, theatres, studios and restaurants. The Rideau Canal and the Rideau-Trent-Severn Waterway are part of a complex of recreational lakes and canals linking Ottawa to Lake Ontario and Georgian Bay. Outstanding among the city’s many museums and galleries are the National Gallery of Canada, the National Museum of Science and Technology, the Canadian Museum of Nature, the Canadian War Museum and the Museum of Civilisation (over the bridge in nearby Hull).
Excursions: Gatineau Park, an 88,000 acre (35,612 hectares) wilderness area, is only a 15-minute drive north of Parliament Hill. Southeast of the city, Upper Canada Village is a reconstructed 19th-century town consisting of historic buildings salvaged from threatened sites on the St Lawrence Seaway.
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