61 Calgary Facts: Culture, History, Tourism And More

Shirin Biswas
Jan 18, 2023 By Shirin Biswas
Originally Published on Jan 20, 2022
Edited by Sarah Nyamekye
Fact-checked by Sudeshna Nag
Canadian city that is known for its many touristy places
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Age: 3-18
Read time: 7.1 Min

Calgary is a major Canadian city that is known for its many touristy places!

This city is especially known for its welcoming demeanor towards people and it is a known fact that downtown Calgary is more than a delight to explore! Calgary is one of the cleanest cities in the world and boasts of many places that you can visit.

This city is not very famous in terms of tourist visits, and that is a part of the charm that Calgary has. There are many places to explore including national parks, zoos, and the Calgary Stampede.

The demographic of the city is such that the average stands at 37.6 years. This essentially means that the crowd will be absolutely stunning and lively if you decide to visit a pub during your time in Calgary.

In addition to the natural warmth people carry in their hearts, Calgary also offers pleasant and somewhat warm weather in the summer. Summers are especially preferable if you plan on visiting Calgary since the city has a prairie-steppe kind of climate.

However, winters can be extremely chilly and we are quite sure that knowledge of the coldest temperature ever recorded in this city will stun you! Keep reading to know more about Calgary and all the things that you can do when you are in this beautiful city!

Facts About Calgary

Calgary is an absolutely delightful Canadian city, although, it does not enjoy the benefits of having many tourists. This city is situated in the province of Alberta and towards the east of the Rocky Mountains.

  • Calgary is a Canadian city that is known for the low average age of the people that live there. The city is supposed to be 147 years old.
  • The median age of the residents of Calgary is especially low and stands at 37.6.
  • The city is exceptionally clean and has been recognized as the cleanest city on Earth by many organizations.
  • The cleanliness of the city can be attributed to several factors. The most prominent of these factors is the fact that the citizens of Calgary are proactive in maintaining their city.
  • There are several systems within the city that allow it to be sparkling clean, such as the waste management and recycling systems, the air pollution control tactics, and sewage management systems.
  • This, along with the cooperation of the residents and the controlled traffic congestions, has led to Calgary becoming an absolute delight to live at!
  • Downtown Calgary is also dotted with fascinating things to do, and the people are great company too.
  • Calgary in Canada is home to many people from all parts of the world, making it Canada's most diverse region.
  • In fact, a large chunk of the people that now inhabit Calgary were born in a different country altogether.
  • Calgary receives sunlight the most in Canada and gets around 333 sunny days in a year.
  • This means that even if you visit during the winter months, you will be able to experience some sunshine in the city.
  • Wind, in this city, is called Chinook.
  • The wind can be considerably chilly at night but during the daytime, it soaks up some of the sunshine and becomes a relief against the cold.
  • Calgary made history when it elected a Muslim as the mayor of the city.
  • This was the first time that a person belonging to Islam was elected as Mayor in entire North America! We think it is safe to say that the people of Calgary are proud of their diversity.
  • The Calgary Zoo is considered to be one of the best in the entire world.
  • There are more than 100 unique species of animals and birds in this zoo in addition to over 1,000 animals in total.
  • There are six zones in the Calgary Zoo, which is a testament to how massive it is.
  • Calgary is mostly sunny due to its prairie-steppe kind of climatic conditions.
  • The people of Calgary are referred to as Calgarians.
  • The most famous food in Calgary is a dish called ginger beef!

Calgary's History

Calgary's history can easily be tracked with the help of the extensive evidence that has been found in the past century.

  • Old Norse words which stand for 'cold garden' are thought to be at the foundation of the word Calgary. Calgary became a city in 1884.
  • The city was named after Calgary, which is located on the Isle of Mull, in Scotland. The old name of Calgary was Fort Brisbois.
  • It was briefly a post of the North-West Mounted Police. This took place in the year 1875.
  • It was two years later in 1877 that Canada and Britain signed a peace agreement.
  • Calgary began to grow as an important commercial and agricultural center after the arrival of the Canadian Pacific Railway in the year 1883.
  • Calgary's economy was completely dependent on its oil industry.
  • With the momentary boost in the prices of oil, the economy started to boost but this was quickly reversed as the oil prices came down.
  • The economy of this city was quite rickety until the advent of the 20th century.
  • The Heritage Park Historical Village is one of the places that you must visit when in Calgary.
  • It is Canada's second-largest living museum!
  • The Calgary Stampede, which is now an important part of the culture of the city, started in the year 1912.
  • In the year 2018, Calgary was noted as the fourth most livable city in the world!
  • The lowest temperatures at Calgary have dropped was a bone-chilling -49 F (-45 C).
  • The second-largest urban park in Canada is none other than the Fish Creek Park in Calgary.
  • When the city was incorporated, there were no more than 75 residents, now there are more than 1.3 million!
  • The Calgary Stampede is considered to be one of the world's richest rodeo events.
  • When in Calgary, make sure to visit the Calgary Stampede since they have events planned all throughout the year.
  • Calgary hosted the Winter Olympic Games in the year 1988.
city is situated in the province of Alberta

Geographical Facts About Calgary

The city of Calgary has pleasant weather for almost throughout the year, however, sometimes it does tend to get a little chillier than we would like.

  • The Canadian city of Calgary is wedged between the foothills of the Rocky Mountains and the Canadian Prairies.
  • This gives the landscape and the climatic conditions of the city some of its distinctive features.
  • Calgary is one of the most populous cities in the whole of Canada, ranking third amongst other cities.
  • Around 120 languages are spoken by the residents of this city.
  • This is because of the diversity of the city and the fact that people from all parts of the world and all ethnic identities co-exist here.
  • The average elevation of the city is around 3,428.5 ft (1,045 m).
  • The city spans over an area of around 318.7 sq mi (825.3 sq km).
  • The current population of Calgary is well over 1.3 million!
  • It is located in a Canadian province called Alberta!
  • It comes within the foothills of the Parkland Natural Region as well as the Grasslands Natural Region.
  • The Calgary Tower, which is situated in Downtown Calgary, was one of the very first public plazas to be made in North America.
  • The Calgary Tower was designed by Charles Wright and Associates and is a part of the World Federation of Great Towers.
  • The height of this historic observation tower is around 626 ft (190.8 m).
  • This tower was initially called the Husky Tower.
  • It was an enterprise undertaken by Husky Oil and Marathon Realty Company Limited and Husky Oil, which was intended to celebrate Canada's centenary.
  • Fort Calgary is a historic site where the Elbow River and Bow River converge. This convergence takes place near Downtown Calgary.

Calgary's Cultural Facts

If you have been looking for facts about Calgary, we cannot help but tell you about the city's diverse culture too!

  • The largest museum in the region of Western Canada is the Glenbow Museum, which is located in Calgary.
  • There are numerous museums and national parks to visit and soak in the culture of the city.
  • The Calgary Stampeders also form a huge part of the culture of the city.
  • The city is dotted with art galleries and dance schools, which allows people to explore their own talents, as well as be in touch with their creative sides.
  • The city hosts an array of annual festivals in celebration of the arts and culture of the city.
  • The events that you should be aware of planning a trip to Calgary would be the International Film Festival, Calgary Performing Arts festival, FunnyFest Calgary Comedy Festival, Folk Music Festival, and Wordfest among many others. No matter what your taste is, you are sure to find some festival or other in this city.

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Written by Shirin Biswas

Bachelor of Arts specializing in English Language and Literature

Shirin Biswas picture

Shirin BiswasBachelor of Arts specializing in English Language and Literature

With a degree in English from Amity University, Noida, Shirin has won awards for oratory, acting, and creative writing. She has a wealth of experience as an English teacher, editor, and writer, having previously worked at Quizzy and Big Books Publishing. Her expertise lies in editing study guides for children and creating engaging content.

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Fact-checked by Sudeshna Nag

Master of Arts specializing in History

Sudeshna Nag picture

Sudeshna NagMaster of Arts specializing in History

Having earned a Master's degree in History from the Presidency University in Kolkata, Sudeshna was able to refine these skills and broaden her knowledge base. Not only is she an accomplished fact-checker, but she is also deeply invested in gender research, societal interactions, and mental health. Her professional repertoire also includes experience in translation between Bengali and English content

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