DESTINACIJA / DESTINATION
rise building being built around it. The result is an almost surreal scene: a nar- row, old house “squeezed” between modern façades. Such cases aren’t un- common in this city that grew fast, but this one became a symbol of resistance against urbanisation that often ends up posted on Instagram more than the city’s most famous attractions. Hidden river system Toronto doesn’t only hide subter- ranean tunnels, but also sunken riv- ers. More than a dozen streams and creeks are “buried” beneath the city and today flow within sewers and pipes developed during the period of rapid urban expansion. One of the most famous is Garrison Creek, which still flows under the streets. This is why you can still notice unusual dips in the terrain in some parts of the city today. As well as unexpected green patches that serve as traces of the nat- ural landscape that was once visible. Unique library The Toronto Reference Library isn’t only a book repository, but al- so an attractive architectural solution. With a multistorey atrium and red- beige tones, its interior is often com- pared to the scenography of futuris- tic films. It is open to the public and often serves as an oasis of tranquilli- ty in the city centre, but also as a film- ing location. Unusual record: world’s longest street Yonge Street, which begins in To- ronto and extends deep into the inte- rior of Ontario, used to be considered the longest street in the world, cov- ering a distance of more than 1,800 kilometres. Despite that record being subsequently revised, the street still symbolises the city’s historical devel- opment and its connection with the rest of the country.
Over 180 languages Toronto is among the world’s most diverse, multicultural cities, but the numbers exceed almost all expecta- tions. The city’s inhabitants speak more than 180 languages and dialects, while more than half of Toronto’s residents were born overseas. This ensures that individual sections of the city function as “micro-worlds” - from Chinatowns and Little Indian to Balkan and Carib- bean quarters. Interestingly, this diver- sity isn’t only evident in restaurants, but also in schools, media outlets and everyday communication. Raccoon city Toronto is known for – raccoons. These urban residents have adapted so well to life in the city that they’ve be- come part of the local identity. With es- timates suggesting that tens of thou- sands of these critters live in Toronto’s urban areas, raccoons are known for their resourcefulness – including the ability to open rubbish bins, doors and even windows. The City has even had to design special “raccoon-proof” dump- sters, which resulted in a series of viral stories when these animals nonetheless overcame them.
Superman was born here…nearly The story about Superman’s link to Toronto is interesting, but often mis- interpreted. Superman wasn’t “born” in Toronto – with creators Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster having conceived the superhero while living in Cleveland in the 1930s. However, Joe Shuster had a strong connection to Toronto, having been born and raised in the city, and it was there that he began to develop his distinct drawing style. Some comic book historians believe that Toronto’s cityscape and atmosphere influenced the visual identity of Superman’s Me- tropolis. In other words: Toronto isn’t the city where Superman was born, but it is part of his early development. Apart from that, Toronto often played the role of Metropolis or other large American cities in the film industry, thus strengthening the Superman-To- ronto connection in pop culture. “The house that refused to budge” Toronto is home to a famous “stub- born house” – representing a small house whose owner refused to sell to investors, leading to a modern high-
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