It was one of the first things I asked when I arrived in Toronto: what is the origin of the name ‘Toronto’? A quick Google search revealed that the name Toronto, a derivative of the word ‘tkaronto’, was first used by the Iroquois (a tribe that used to inhabit the area before the first Westerners arrived) and roughly means ‘forest in the water’. In the following days, as I walked around the streets of downtown Toronto, I couldn’t help but think of that meaning and how it applies to modern-day Toronto. Gone are the forests in the water. In its place, a new forest had risen – a forest of glass and steel! The Toronto skyscrapers are certainly impressive and I had a great time admiring them on a stroll around downtown Toronto.
Architecture stroll in downtown Toronto
A stroll around downtown Toronto, with its shiny skyscrapers, is a dizzying experience. I found myself straining my neck on many occasions just to catch a glimpse of the tops of these massive buildings that seemed to touch the clouds. I’m a big fan of architecture so it was a great joy for me to wander aimlessly around the downtown area and admire the huge glassy surfaces, interspersed with monumental buildings. The fact that the tallest buildings are all concentrated within a relatively small area reinforced the image of a forest in my mind. I knew I’d reached the edges of the downtown area as soon as the skyscrapers stopped! Join me on a little architecture tour around downtown Toronto!
… and I wasn’t disappointed! The night views of Toronto from atop the CN Tower were truly phenomenal!
Note: My trip to Toronto was a collaboration between iambassador, the Canadian Tourism Commission, Tourism Toronto and Shangri-La Hotel Toronto.
[…] Needless to say, I truly enjoyed my stay at the Shangri-La Hotel Toronto and I was sad to leave when the time came. As I stepped into the car, I looked back at the cheery faces and smiled. I realised that I’d found my ‘Shangri-La’….. in the heart of downtown Toronto. […]
[…] and cool cafés of Yorkville, the hotel is a landmark in its own right, standing tall among the Toronto skyscrapers. Its impressive glass exterior contrasts sharply with the warm, woody […]
Awesome pics! I love shiny the glass buildings and the back of the flat iron building is pretty cool too. Can’t wait to get there and see it all for myself now! Thanks 🙂
I never thought of buildings as beautiful but these shots are making me re-think. I love how the reflective glass makes it look like a building made of clouds.
lovely article… the idea of ‘the forest of glass’ .and the beautiful pics!
Oh wow, these shots are awesome!!!
Hi Sofie,
Yup, I thought the back of the Flatiron building is really cool too!
Cheers,
Keith
Loving the back of the Flatiron Building!
Thanks James! Pretty incredible what you can do with an iPhone! 🙂 Glad you like the photos!
Cheers,
Keith
Wow.. those are pretty great for being shot with an iphone!!
Wow, thank you Lesley for the extra info on the Roy Thomson Hall! I heard that the main screenings of the TIFF takes place there. When I was there, they’d just lit the Christmas Tree in the square fronting the Hall. Loved the idea of getting everyone to dance or jump around to generate the power to light the tree. Very cool!
Truly impressed by the buildings in Toronto and it was fun walking around looking for cool reflections. 🙂
Cheers,
Keith
Super photography! I’m so glad to see one of my favorite buildings appear in #5 in front of the CN Tower. The sloping basket-like building is Roy Thomson Hall (1982), designed by Canadian architect Arthur Erickson. Inspired by visits to Japan and by North American native cultures, Erickson designed the concert venue as a basket-like container.