Centre Street Bridge

📍 Canada
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About

This historic landmark bridge spans the Bow River and features distinctive lion statues at each end, making it one of Calgary's most recognizable structures. Built in 1916, it offers excellent photo opportunities and connects downtown to the trendy Hillhurst-Sunnyside neighborhoods.

The Centre Street Bridge crosses the Bow River in Calgary, Canada, linking the downtown core with the Hillhurst-Sunnyside neighbourhoods on the north side of the river. It is one of the city's most recognisable structures, and it is worth a visit whether you are passing through on foot, by bike or by car.

What to look for

  • The lion statues. A lion stands at each end of the bridge, and they are the feature most visitors come to see.
  • The age of the structure. The bridge was built in 1916, so it is a historic landmark in a city that has changed a great deal since.
  • Views of the river. The bridge spans the Bow River, and the surroundings make it a good spot for photographs.

Around the bridge

The bridge is a convenient way to move between two distinct parts of the city. On the downtown side you are close to the city centre, and on the other side the Hillhurst-Sunnyside neighbourhoods offer a quieter, more relaxed mood, with local streets to wander and places to stop for a meal or a coffee. Crossing it on foot gives you a sense of how the two areas connect.

A visit here works well as a short stop within a longer walk along the river, or as part of a day exploring the neighbourhoods on either bank. Allow a little time for photographs, since the lions and the river views are the main reasons people pause.