The Rideau Canal, Witness the charm of a historic frozen canal

Canada, Ontario, Ottawa, Rideau Canal

Very delicate canal

4.3

Introduction

The Rideau Canal is a canal built in the early 19th century that runs for 202 kilometers, starting in Ottawa in the north and ending at Kingston Harbor on Lake Ontario in the south, connecting the Rideau River with the Cataraqui River. It was built for strategic military purposes during a time when Britain and the United States were competing for control of the area. The Rideau Canal was one of the first canals designed specifically for steamboats, and its defensive fortifications are one of its unique features. In the early stages of the canal's construction in 1826, the British used "still water" technology to avoid extensive excavation work and created a series of reservoirs and 50 large locks to raise the water level to navigable depth. The Rideau Canal is the best-preserved and most primitive example of a still water canal in North America, indicating that this European technology was widely used at the time. It is also the only canal in North America that was built in the early 19th century during the construction boom of canals, and the majority of its original structures remain intact. Six "blockhouses" and a fortress were built along the canal, and defensive gates and administrative duty stations were later added to several locks. During 1846-1848, four circular stone forts were built to strengthen the defenses of Kingston Harbor. The Rideau Canal has witnessed wars fought to control the North American continent and has significant historical value. However, it can no longer accommodate large ships. The Rideau Canal runs through the entire city, with ten large bridges spanning the east and west banks. The west side is called Upper Town and is mainly inhabited by people of British descent, while the east side is called Lower Town and is mainly inhabited by people of French descent.

Address

Canada, Ontario, Ottawa, Rideau Canal

Transportation

The main river section is located on the east side of Parliament Hill. Take bus 1, 2, 7, 9, or 12 to Wellington/O'Connor station and walk east for 2 minutes to reach it.