Canada Place

Canada Place

Canada Place is not an ordinary city square, but rather a building located in downtown Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. It houses the East Building of the Vancouver Convention Centre, the Pan Pacific Hotel, the Vancouver World Trade Centre, and the world's first permanent IMAX 3D theatre, and is managed by Canada Place Corporation. It is also the primary cruise terminal for the South Coast of British Columbia, with all cruises to Alaska from Vancouver departing from this location.

Construction on Canada Place began in 1983. The top of the building features five white sails made of fiberglass, making it one of Vancouver’s most iconic landmarks. Its design bears similarities to the exteriors of the Sydney Opera House and Denver International Airport. The building cost CAD 365 million and was designed by Canadian architect Eberhard Zeidler.

The Pan Pacific Hotel opened first on January 5, 1986, while the Canada Exhibition Pavilion opened alongside Expo 86 on May 2 of the same year. The Vancouver Convention Centre opened later, on July 4, 1987, after the exposition. The building underwent an expansion in 2001, adding an additional cruise berth. The International Media Centre for the 2010 Winter Olympics was located in the new wing. After the Olympics, Canada Place began a roof renewal project for the five sails in July 2010. The new sails are made of a blend of PTFE and fiberglass, closely resembling the appearance of the original ones.

Canada Place

Must-visit reason: Location of the world’s first permanent IMAX 3D theatre

Continent where the attraction is located: North America

Country/region where the attraction is located: Canada

Province/state where the attraction is located: British Columbia

City where the attraction is located: Vancouver