Hamilton is one of the largest cities in the Canadian province of Ontario. The area was first visited by Europeans in the 17th century, but it was only after the American War of Independence when settlers arrived in larger numbers. In 1792, the British Crown acquired the land where Hamilton is today from local tribes.

The British-loyal settlers from the United States were encouraged to settle the purchased land. Later, George Hamilton bought tracts of land which he offered to the government to establish a future city, which became Hamilton. In 1816 the city was chosen as the regional administrative center, and from 1832 there was considerable growth when a canal was dug to Hamilton, which could thereby become a port city.

Hamilton formally became a city in 1846, at which time approximately 6,500 people lived here. The city grew significantly with industrialization and a network of streetcars was opened in the ever-larger Hamilton. The growth and prosperity continued until the 1960s, after which several industries had to close.

Today, Hamilton is a modern metropolis with many attractions in and around the downtown area. You can see Hamilton’s City Hall as the center and it stands between modern architecture like the FirstOntario Concert Hall from 1973, which is home to the city’s opera and symphony orchestra. You can visit the Art Gallery of Hamilton as well, which has a large and interesting collection.

There are also many examples of other styles and architecture in Hamilton. Close to the town hall is the Whitehern Historic House & Garden, a residential mansion from the mid-1800s, which is now open as a house museum for its time. In the same area stands the Pigott Building from 1929 with a height of 64 in a mixture of Neo-Gothic and Art Deco.

There are several churches in Hamilton too. You can visit two larger cathedrals. A little north of the center stands the Anglican Christ’s Church Cathedral, which was built between 1852 and 1873. In the church you can see a fine interior with beautiful glass mosaics. West of downtown is the Cathedral Basilica of Christ the King, which is the city’s Catholic cathedral. It was opened in 1933 with an equally beautiful interior.

With Hamilton’s location on Lake Ontario, it is easy to enjoy a walk along the lakeshore. You can go for a walk in the city’s marina, and close by is Bayfront Park as a large recreational area in the Burlington Bay. From here you can follow the Waterfront Trail north to a viewpoint with a panoramic view of the area. If you want to enjoy the best view over Lake Ontario, you should go to Hamilton Beach to the east.

HMCS Haida National Historic Site in Hamilton’s old industrial port is another place worth seeing. HMCS Haida is a destroyer that was deployed to the Canadian Navy from 1943 to 1963, and today the destroyer is in the harbor as a museum ship. From here you can head east to the Hamilton Museum of Steam & Technology, a Victorian industrial complex from the 1850s that has been converted into a museum.

When in Hamilton, you should also go to Dundurn Castle, located on the northern edge of the city. Dundurn Castle is a neoclassical mansion that was completed as a small castle in 1835. The mansion became famous for large parties and entertainment, and King Edward VII was among the guests. Today the mansion is owned by the City of Hamilton, and the house as well as the park are open to visitors.

In the same direction as Dundurn Castle is the Royal Botanical Gardens, the largest botanical garden in Canada. The gardens cover 980 hectares, and large parts come from a nature area laid out in 1927. Since then, the Royal Botanical Gardens have been laid out with different themes and facilities, and King George V permitted the royal title in 1930.