10 Surprising Facts About Ottawa

1. In 1857 Queen Victoria of Britain chose Ottawa to be the capital of Canada. 
2. The name Ottawa comes from the Algonquin word adawe – which means to trade, so it’s always been an important business centre. 
3. Ottawa is the seventh coldest capital in the world. Others that are colder include in order of coldest first  are Ulaan-Baatar in Mongolia, Astana in Kazakhastan, Moscow, Helsinki, Reykjavik in Iceland and Tallin in Estonia. 
4. In winter, the Rideau Canal in downtown Ottawa, becomes the longest skating rink in the world (7.8 km).
5. There are 4 distinct seasons, though, with temperatures ranging from 33C in summer (average is 25C) to -25C (average is -10C).
6.  Nearly half the population is under the age of 35 – making it one of the youngest cities in the country.
7. There are more than 14 museums in Ottawa, but the Canadian Museum of Civilization is the most visited museum in Canada.
8. There are 35 major festivals in Ottawa. The Canadian Tulip Festival, held every May, is one of the most famous.
9. The beautiful Château Laurier Hotel is said to be haunted by the ghost of Charles Melville Hays, the president of the company that built the hotel. Hays died on the Titanic, 12 days before the hotel's opening. 
10. Visitors to Ottawa can stay in a hostel that used to be a jail in the 19^th Century.

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