Statue of Queen Victoria

Here is an elegant statue depicting Queen Victoria, a figure deeply connected to Ottawa. In fact, Canada even has a public holiday dedicated to her—Victoria Day—celebrated on the last Monday preceding May 25. The iconic British Queen played a crucial role in the establishment of the Dominion of Canada and, consequently, in the country’s path to independence. She was the one who chose Ottawa—then known as Bytown—as the capital, due to its strategic location near the U.S. border, and more importantly, placed between English-speaking and French-speaking Canada. She also signed treaties with Indigenous people in an effort to restore peace with the First Nations. That is why she proudly stands here, right next to the city’s most important building, Parliament.