Top 10 Largest Landmarks in Canada: The Good, the Big & the Ugly.
This year is our big country’s big 150th birthday bash! Why not take a trip to discover its biggest sights?
When we say big, we mean, literally. The largest landmarks in Canada are wonderful, weird, wacky and whopping! Whether they’re worth a visit, is up to you.
Without further ado, let’s “big up” Canada with a look at its massive monuments across our great land.
We start our travels moving eastbound, beginning with beautiful British Columbia.
1. World’s Largest Totem Pole, Alert Bay, BC
At a soaring 52.7 metres (173 feet) tall, this totem pole, located in the small town of Alert Bay, is something to behold. You wouldn’t expect its illustrious title to be so contentious, but towering totems Stateside also lay claim to the being world’s tallest. The figures on the pole represent the various tribes of the Kwakwaka’wakw people, indigenous to the Pacific Northwest coast and the traditional makers of totem poles. (This is not to be confused with college basketball player Jakub Kusmieruk from Poland, who is, in fact, the world’s tallest Pole.)
2. Tyrannosaurus Rex, Drumheller, AB
The T-Rex once ruled what is now Alberta. As the undisputed World’s Largest Dinosaur, it stands at a mighty 6.1 metres (35 feet). Drumheller also features a whole herd of dinosaurs (we had to Google what to call the collective noun!) There are about 30 of them scattered across Drumheller, after the attractions park they belonged to closed down. She was unveiled on July 1st, Canada Day, 1960. The Dinosaur Capital of the World, Drumheller is also worth a visit to experience its unique Badlands scenery. Make sure you T-Rext all your friends the photos you take.
3. Honeybee, Tisdale SK
Tisdale is the honey capital of Saskatchewan, producng 10% of Canada’s honey. So what better way to commemorate the town’s economic contribtions than with a huge honey bee? Honey, comb through a map and grab your hive to visit this un-bee-lievably big monument that’s created quite a buzz.
4. Van Gogh’s Sunflowers on Easel, Altona, MB
This giant version of the famous painting, is 7.3 metres (24 feet) wide and 9.8 metres (32 feet) high. The massive easel it is perched on is an incredible 24.4 metres (80 feet) tall and weighs a whopping 30,000 pounds. Altona is the Sunflower of Canada, making it the perfect home for this installation by Cameron Cross.
5. Big Nickel, Sudbury, ON
Probably the country’s most well-known giant icon, the Big Nickel is a giant replica of a Canadian 5-cent coin. The Big Nickel is located at Science North, outside its Dynamic Earth exhibition. To make your visit there more worthwhile, stop in for a visit. Dynamic Earth is devoted to Sudbury’s main industry, mining. Step into the boots of a miner and delve down deep into the earth’s core where minerals like copper, and of course nickel, are mined. Since we can no longer give you our two-cents worth, take our five-cents and visit.
6. Orange, Montreal, Quebec
What else do you think of, when you think of Quebec’s biggest city, other than a giant orange? While the connection is not exactly obvious, it’s a nostalgic icon for Montrealers. The 12.2 metre (40 feet) Gibeau Orange Julep sits along the highway, serving fast food since 1932. Orange-you glad we told you about this?
7. Lobster, Shediac, NB
The New Brunswick fishing village of Shediac is known as the Lobster Capital of the World. It also boasts the esteemed title of home to the World’s Largest Lobster. This lifelike (apart from size, of course) creation is a whopping 11 metres (35 feet) long and weighs 90 tonnes. Unfortunately there is no giant butter or lemon monument nearby, which might make hungry visitors crabby.
8. The Big Fiddle, Sydney, NS
Another Canadian monument that boasts the title of World’s Biggest. Famous for its traditional fiddle music, Cape Breton Island, Nova Scotia is home to the World’s Largest Fiddle. We’re not stringing you along. It’s a title that is music to the ears of Nova Scotians.
9. Potato, O’Leary, PEI
Prince Edward Island is known for many things: Anne of Green Gables, red sand beaches, and potatoes. So what better place to showcase a giant potato, than at Canada’s only potato museum? The towering tuber stands 4.3 metres (14 feet) high and 7 feet (2.1 metres) in diameter. That’s a lot of potato chips. When in picturesque PEI, the Potato Museum’s giant russet is sure to catch your “eye.”
10. Moose, Newfoundland
Or should we say, “meese”? There are two giant moose statues in Newfoundland, erected n the towns of Howley and Goobies, respectively. The first moose introduced to the island of Newfoundland were released in Howley around 1904. This 3.5 metre tall (11.5 feet), 10-tonne moose commemorates this. Newfoundland has the highest moose population density in North America, so the fine folks in the town of Goobies erected a mighty moose, as both a tourist attraction and to bring awareness to drivers of these gentle giants crossing highways.
There you have it folks, we are a big country filled with big monuments. Not to mention, big-hearted people as well.
Isn’t it time to focus on Canada? Or, focus out, on its larger than life offerings!
Let us help you map out your cross-Canada adventure! Book online of contact us in a Flight Centre shop near you, or at 1877 967 5302.
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About the Author
Alyssa Daniells Alyssa Daniells incorporates her two enduring passions, writing and travel, in her role as copywriter for Flight Centre.
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