According to sportingology.com, the Canadian city of Calgary is located east of the Rocky Mountains in the province of Alberta. The skyline of Calgary is not inferior to that of other major Canadian cities such as Vancouver and Montreal. It is therefore difficult to imagine that a few centuries ago mainly Indians lived here in a austere way. Since the nineteenth century, the place has developed rapidly. Thanks in particular to the construction of the Canadian Pacific Railway, this has accelerated. This gave trade much more opportunities, so that the once small ‘cowtown’ slowly grew into a thriving city. Much of this ancient culture is still preserved today. Festivals like the Calgary Stampede help with this. But open-air museums such as Heritage Park Historical Village also make a significant contribution. The downtown area of Calgary consists of a number of large neighborhoods, each with its own character. Downtown West End, Downtown East Village, Downtown Commercial Core are filled with modern high rises housing offices, shops, historic buildings on Stephen Avenue and other entrepreneurs big and small. In Chinatown you will find mainly Asian entrepreneurs with their own shops, restaurants and cultural establishments. And in the northern Eau Claire neighborhood you will find mostly specialty shops, fine restaurants and the ever-beloved Eau Claire Park and Prince’s Island Park on the Bow River. As a multicultural city, Calgary is very varied in terms of cuisine, art, and its inhabitants. Something that certainly benefits the atmosphere of the city.
Top 10 Things to Do in Calgary
#1. Calgary Stampede Calgary
‘s annual festival is undisputedly the rodeo festival Calgary Stampede. Every year around July, this Canadian city focuses on the cowboy lifestyle. For example, rodeo competitions are organized, there is a real parade and you can enjoy all kinds of shows and music festivities. Traditionally, most visitors are dressed as true cowboys from the wild west. The purpose of the Calgary Stampede is to uphold western culture, celebrate heritage, and emphasize togetherness. A successful formula ensures that Stampede Park is visited by millions of people during the ten-day Calgary Stampede year after year.
#2. Heritage Park Historical Village
Calgary’s open-air historic museum paints a clear picture of how it used to be here years ago. The 50-acre Heritage Park Historical Village is filled with a number of original homes and buildings. And some are a reconstruction of this. The historic park is based on life between 1860 and 1950. To emphasize the life of that time even more, employees are also dressed in the typical costumes of the time. In the Gasoline Alley Museum you can also admire all kinds of antique vehicles.
#3. Banff National Park
In the southern province of Alberta you can also visit the beautiful and impressive Banff National Park. The park is about 80 miles from Calgary. Because the province of Alberta and therefore Banff Park are part of the Rocky Mountains, you can enjoy fantastic views in several places. The photogenic Canadian park Banff is now part of Unesco’s World Heritage Sites and also world famous thanks to Lake Louise. This large lake is filled with clear blue water, which comes from the equally famous Victoria Glacier at the top of Mount Victoria. During the high season it can be quite busy here. Other special places in ‘National Park Banff’ are the village of Banff, the falls at Johnston Canyon, the Icefield Parkway route, Columbia Icefield and Banff Park Museum National Historic Site. Founded in 1895, this museum lets you learn more about the different animals, plants, and minerals that can be found in Banff National Park.
#4. WinSport’s Canada Olympic Park
WinSport’s Canada Olympic Park is a popular park in both the summer and winter months. Originally created for the 1988 Winter Olympics, the park now offers all kinds of challenges, such as clambering up climbing walls, ziplining, mini golf, mountain biking and karting. When there is enough snow you can also snowboard, ski, skate and bobsleigh.
#5. Glenbow Museum
The art history Glenbow Museum is located on 9th Avenue in Calgary. This museum has an extensive collection that focuses on life in Alberta during the nineteenth century. Think of the Indian tribes that lived there at the time, the culture within this region and the natural resources. In addition, the subjects of art and culture are exhibited in several ways. Nowadays there are changing exhibitions that shed a new light on this. The Glenbow Museum is therefore certainly an inspiring and varied museum and also an asset to the city of Calgary.
#6. Calgary Zoo
East of downtown Calgary in the Bridgeland district, is the Calgary Zoo. This zoo opened its doors to the general public in 1929 and has since received several awards. For example, the Calgary Zoo has a historic park with dinosaurs, a South Pole experience with playful penguins and botanical gardens. But of course there is much more to discover, because reptiles, bears, wolves, giraffes and tigers are also no strangers here.
#7. Prince’s Island Park
As an urban park, Prince’s Island Park attracts many visitors every day. Both during summer and winter, the park is frequently visited by residents and visitors of the city of Calgary. Prince’s Island Park covers approximately twenty hectares and is connected to the city by bridges. Several times a year, Prince’s Island Park hosts events and festivals. The most famous and most attended is the Calgary Folk Music Festival in July. The ‘line-up’ of artists is composed differently every year. Young and old can enjoy good music, good food, fascinating workshops and a pleasant atmosphere here. Fortunately, Prince’s Island Park is not always that busy. You will usually find walkers, runners, skaters.
#8. Aero Space Museum of Calgary
Plane spotters or other aircraft enthusiasts should not miss the Aero Space Museum of Calgary. This museum is part of the airport ‘Calgary International Airport’. Since its inception in 1975, the Aero Space Museum of Calgary has amassed an ever-growing collection. Today, a number of special aircraft can be discovered on the spot where flight training was previously given. There are a number of fighter planes to admire, including a NATO jet ‘Avro Canada CF-100 Canuck and a number of scale models.
#9. Baitun Nur Mosque
The Ahmadiyya Muslim community in Calgary has had its own place of worship on 54th Avenue NE since 2008. The ‘Baitun Nur mosque’ is a mosque where a few thousand people can easily attend a service. It is therefore one of the largest mosques in North America. The Islamic design comes from Manu Chugh Architects. The steel dome and minaret are striking within the existing architecture of the city of Calgary. Guided tours can be taken in the Baitun Nur mosque, which lead you through different areas of the mosque. The prayer room, which is decorated with a mega-large chandelier, is particularly impressive.
#10. Fort Calgary
In about 1875, Fort Calgary was built by order of the ruling order. The fort was intended to keep Whiskey traders at bay and to bring order. The first name ‘Fort Brisebois’ is therefore derived from the executive police officer Éphrem-A. brisebois. In 1878, just before his resignation, the current name was applied. Fort Calgary is strategically located on the Bow and Elbow Rivers. Since 1978, Fort Calgary’s doors have been open as a museum. You can now see more than 100 years of history with your own eyes.
