Downtown Sculptures

Andrew Reist

19 stops · 58 min · 4.2 km

Start guided tour

See nearly 20 sculptures in a 1 hour walk in the Downtown Core.

Stops

1
Natural Engineer
This life-size 'natural engineer' goes about his work without noticing the many people who pass by on their way to the Municipal Building Parkade.
4 min · 371 m to next stop
2
Van Gogh Monumental
This sculpture symbolizes themes of identity, travel, and the human experience.
5 min · 317 m to next stop
3
The Little Mermaid
Inspired by the fairy tale by Hans Christen Anderson, this bronze statue depicts a mermaid turning into a human while resting on a rock.
3 min · 127 m to next stop
4
TransitStory
Enlivening the experience of the Centre Street LRT station are 30 sculptural commuters standing alongside transit users, collectively waiting for the next train to arrive.
6 min · 456 m to next stop
5
Emergent
Through the use of contemporary materials, Emergent presents a play between the past and present, activating the plaza on one of Calgary’s most historic and prominent streets.
3 min · 245 m to next stop
6
Nuova Twist
4 min · 163 m to next stop
7
Between the Earth and Sky Measuring the Immeasurable
An iconic figure placed within a mythological landscape.
4 min · 329 m to next stop
8
Day and Night
The ideas for Ohe's sculptures are often based on something which would be unremarkable to anyone else.
4 min · 337 m to next stop
9
Conversation
This humorous sculpture is part of The Businessman Series. The artist explained that his life-size figures, set on the ground, replace statues of classical heroes mounted on high pedestals.
7 min · 453 m to next stop
10
Past, Present and Future
Gernot Kiefer's limestone sculpture is an artistic representation of the progression of people though time.
3 min · 277 m to next stop
11
Wonderland
People are encouraged to enter the sculpture through openings on either side of the head, an invitation for visitors to physically experience Plensa's metaphor of the mind being the sanctuary for dreams.
3 min · 228 m to next stop
12
Brotherhood of Mankind
These greatly elongated statues impress by their huge size, their extreme gauntness and their nudity.
6 min · 463 m to next stop
13
The Bears
In this endearing sculpture, a mother bear and her cub stand with their backs to us.
<1 min · 18 m to next stop
14
Jerry Potts, Metis Scout (1840-1896)
The diminutive Jerry Potts sits in a confident, relaxed pose, recognizable by his characteristic moustache, Stetson hat, fringed buckskin clothing and tall moccasins.
<1 min · 31 m to next stop
15
Samuel Livingston, First Farmer Rancher in Calgary (1831-1897)
This figure shows a rugged older man, with huge hands, dressed in casual warm clothing.
<1 min · 1 m to next stop
16
Joy
Although abstract, the upright orientation of the sculpture is strongly suggestive of a human form.
<1 min · 7 m to next stop
17
Patrick Burns, Cattleman (1856-1937)
Dressed in business attire, this solid figure projects confidence and power with his firm stance, arms akimbo and upward gaze.
<1 min · 8 m to next stop
18
Lion
For almost 83 years, this impressive lion lived on top of the southwest kiosk of the Centre Street Bridge. Along with his three other companions, he watched over the bridge, and soon became a beloved landmark in Calgary.
5 min · 409 m to next stop
19
Balancing Act
Bright primary colours, imagination and welding transform utilitarian construction materials into a playful sculpture.