Culture of Toronto. Places to visit - old town, temples, theaters, museums and palaces

» The Royal Ontario Museum was opened at school in 1857 and named the Museum of Natural History and Fine Arts. Then, it was under the management of the history department of the University of Toronto.
»  The museum became independent in 1968. It has become the biggest history, culture, natural science, and archeology museum in Canada. In its halls and warehouses, 6 million exhibits are kept.
»  In 2007, it was necessary to reconstruct the museum. The project was started by architect Daniel Libeskind who was famous for his paradoxical ideas.
»  The project had been developed for 7 years. Libeskind created a fantastic structure in the form of crystals.
»  Such a renovation has made the museum magnificent and let extend its territory by 18 600 m2. It has become the seventh architectural wonder of the world.

» The Art Gallery of Ontario is a big museum that houses 80 000 art exhibits. In the gallery, you can see sculptures, paintings, pictures, installations, and books.
»  Museum exhibits cover the period from the 1st century AD to the present day. They started to be collected in 1900.
»  The main fund is divided into three sectors: European paintings, works of Canadian artists, and Henry Moore’s sculptures. Here, you can see paintings of such European artists, as: Rembrandt, van Gogh, Claude Monet, Edgar Degas, Chagall, and Picasso.
»  The exhibition of sculptures was organized by Henry Moore in 1974. He is considered as an enigmatic and inscrutable sculptor of the 20th century.
»  In 2008, the gallery was reconstructed. During the renovation, the halls were designed in the modern style by architect F. Gary. He was famous for such projects, as the Dancing House in Prague, the Guggenheim Museum Bilbao, and the Music Museum in Seattle. After this, the number of halls has increased twice.
»  In the gallery, there is the biggest library in Canada.

» The landmark of Toronto is a high church. The Metropolitan United Church was built in the New Gothic style. It is distinguished by a frame vault.
»  The church is under the management of the Protestant Association. The Christian church received the status of a cathedral. Local services are held in a religious building.
»  The construction dates back to the late 19th century. The temple was built in 1870 in the central district of the city.
»  One of the important parts of the construction is a tower in the Gothic style. The bell tower is located above the central entrance of the church.
»  In the late 30s of the 20th century, the building was significantly damaged by fire. It was almost destroyed. Then, the church regained its original appearance and was consecrated.
»  Visitors are attracted by wonderful stained glass windows, big columns, and a luxurious interior. The floor is covered with colorful tiles.
»  At the church, there is a mechanical musical instrument. It is situated in the bell tower. It has 23 bronze bells that are hit in turn. The carillon is controlled with a keyboard.
»  In 1930, the biggest organ in Toronto was delivered to the church. It includes over 8 000 pipes, one of which is 10 m high.

» St. Michael’s Cathedral was built in the middle of the 19th century. The English New Gothic building was presented by architect William Thomas in 1865. Irish immigrants provided financial assistance.
»  Local craftsmen constructed a belfry and a spire already after Thomas’ death. These construction elements were declared as the symbols of Canadian Confederation.
»  The walls include the fragments of the stone pillar of the English Norman Church. In 1867, the cathedral was the highest building (83 m).
»  St. Michaels Cathedral was burnt twice. The brick masonry was damaged by climatic conditions.
»  In 2010, it was decided to replace destroyed fragments with modern materials. During the reconstruction, materials from British manufacturers were used. Sometimes only parts of bricks were built in the masonry. It had to tint them for the masonry to match the constructing materials of the 19th century. Special white bricks alternating with light yellow sandstone from Ohio make this religious building unique.
»  The Christian cathedral has been home to the Roman Catholic Archdiocese for a century and a half.

» St. James Cathedral started to be built in the second half of the 19th century. It was opened to parishioners in 1853.
»  It was the highest building in the city. The bell tower of the Gothic cathedral is crowned by a spire. For many years, it had served as a reference point for ships sailing into the harbor.
»  The construction was also aimed at symbolizing the will to go up to God. The cathedral was designed in the New Gothic style.
»  It is distinguished by a tower with a clock and a spire, transepts, and tips. The altar is hidden by black hazel panels. There is also a long hallway.
»  There are a lot of benches to which you can come up from both sides. Stained glass windows, pointed arches, and high ceilings let much natural light in the rooms.
»  St. James Cathedral is the first Anglican Church in Toronto. It was built on the foundation of the burned one. The building had constantly been rebuilt, extended, and decorated with new insets.
»  St. James Cathedral is home to the diocese of Toronto. The ashes of the first Anglican bishop were buried under the altar.