Visitors to Toronto find a city whose landmarks range from a fort garrisoned in 1793 to a stadium and an underground walkway network built in the twentieth century. This hub page introduces nine articles on this site, grouped here by kind of place, and says what each one covers. Opening hours, tickets, and rules change, so the articles name the operator’s page to check rather than printing figures.
What is verified about the landmarks
The Royal Ontario Museum opened on March 19, 1914. The Ontario Legislative Building at Queen’s Park opened on April 4, 1893, on parkland dedicated in 1860. Fort York began as a garrison in 1793 and was blown up in the Battle of York on April 27, 1813. The Gooderham and Worts distillery began in 1832, closed in 1990, and reopened as a district in 2003. Each date is documented, with sources, in the article it belongs to.
Heritage buildings
The article on Casa Loma tells how financier Sir Henry Pellatt had the castle built to a design by E. J. Lennox and how the City of Toronto came to own it over unpaid taxes. The page on Fort York follows the fort from its founding through the Battle of York to its rebuilding by 1815. The history of Queen’s Park explains the park, the architect of the legislature, the 1909 fire, and where the name comes from. Toronto’s museums starts with the ROM and covers the Art Gallery of Ontario, the Gardiner Museum, and other institutions.
Districts and neighborhoods
The Distillery District article covers the Gooderham and Worts site and its National Historic Site designation. The Kensington Market article describes how the market grew on the Denison estate and was shaped by Jewish, Portuguese, Caribbean, and Chinese communities. Both are histories of places that are still active, and both send readers to official or community pages for current visitor details.
Modern landmarks and shopping
The article on Rogers Centre, the PATH, and the Music Garden deals with the stadium, the downtown pedestrian network, and a harbourfront garden. The page on the Eaton Centre and Toronto’s shopping districts covers the mall and the city’s shopping districts. Store lists and hours are kept by the operators and are not repeated.
Islands and open space
The Toronto Islands article covers the park by-law question that brings most readers to it, the ferry rule, camping, and how the islands formed and were settled. The City of Toronto’s park and ferry pages are the authority for current rules.
How the pages are organized
Every article listed here follows the same pattern. It opens with a short answer naming the place and its key date, then gives the history in dated sections, flags points on which sources disagree, and ends with a list of the sources used. Where a figure could be wrong by next season, such as an admission price or an opening hour, the article leaves it out and names the operator’s page. Readers can therefore open any article on its own, and the hub exists to help choose between them.
The nine places also suit a visit built around themes, such as military history, architecture, markets, or the harbor. The articles describe each setting in turn and do not assume a route. Readers short of time can take one article from each group above: a heritage building, a district, a modern landmark, and the islands give a fair cross-section of how the city grew and what remains of each period.
Where to start
| Interest | Start with |
|---|---|
| Military history | Fort York |
| Architecture and politics | Queen’s Park, Casa Loma |
| Museums and collections | Toronto’s museums |
| Food, markets, and neighborhood life | Kensington Market, Distillery District |
| Stadium, walkways, and shopping | Rogers Centre and PATH, Eaton Centre |
| Outdoors | Toronto Islands |
Anyone who wants the city’s story as a whole before choosing places should read the overview of Toronto history.
Frequently asked questions
Which Toronto landmark is oldest?
Among the places covered here, Fort York has the earliest date: it began as a garrison in 1793, and the present fort was rebuilt after 1813.
When did the Royal Ontario Museum open?
The ROM opened on March 19, 1914.
Who built Casa Loma?
It was built for financier Sir Henry Pellatt, to a design by the architect E. J. Lennox.
Where can current opening hours and tickets be found?
On each operator’s own site. The articles name the relevant page and avoid printing hours or prices that change.
Related reading
- Toronto history: the main section
- History of Toronto: the full overview
- Getting around Toronto: airports, transit and routes
- Toronto culture, sports and language
Last verified: October 2026
Sources
- Royal Ontario Museum, Legislative Assembly of Ontario, City of Toronto, and Parks Canada, as cited in the individual articles
- Ontario Heritage Trust and Canadian Register of Historic Places, as cited in the individual articles
- The articles listed above, which carry their own source lists
More guides
- Hilton Toronto and Its Downtown Surroundings, From TTC to PATH
- Ten Free Things to Do in Toronto, Checked Against Official Pages
- Afternoon Tea in Toronto: Hotels, Service and Booking
- Eataly Toronto: Format, Opening and Location in Yorkville
- Largest Shopping Mall in Toronto: Eaton Centre or Yorkdale?
- The PATH: Toronto's Underground Walkway Network, Explained
- Beach Campgrounds Within Reach of Toronto: Four Ontario Parks
- Toronto and Alberta Compared for a Visitor Trip
- Day trips and weekend trips from Toronto, with sourced distances
- Toronto's Historic Hotels and the Lost Ford Hotel
- Ontario Science Centre: 1969 Opening, Closure, Ontario Place
- Toronto Wedding Venues and Rules: A Heritage Guide
Cite this page
APA: History of Toronto. (2026, October 27). Visiting Toronto: Landmarks, Districts and Where to Start. http://localhost:8210/visiting-toronto
MLA: “Visiting Toronto: Landmarks, Districts and Where to Start.” History of Toronto, 27 Oct. 2026, http://localhost:8210/visiting-toronto. Accessed .
Chicago: History of Toronto. “Visiting Toronto: Landmarks, Districts and Where to Start.” Last modified October 27, 2026. http://localhost:8210/visiting-toronto.
The pages have no named author, so the site is given as the author. Add the date you read the page if your style asks for it.