Route of the Giants
Alberta does things large! Giant replicas of some of the most significant symbols in Alberta’s history can be seen all over the region. These huge objects, statues and installations are unique landmarks and an integral part of the regional landscape, adding much to its charm. Collect snapshots of them for an unusual vacation album!
Vegreville Pysanka
This Pysanka (Ukrainian Easter Egg) symbolizes the harmony, vitality and culture of the community and is dedicated, as a tribute, to the 100th Anniversary of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police who brought peace and security to the largest multi-cultural settlement in all of Canada.
Peter Fidler Statue
Peter Fidler was a Hudson Bay fur trader and surveyor, one of Canada’s greatest exploratory surveyors, and one of the few men who laid the framework for all maps of Western Canada. This 32 feet tall wooden chainsaw-carved statue commemorates the bi-centennial of Elk Point in 1992 and the history of fur trading posts in the region.
UFO Landing Pad
Built in 1967, the UFO Landing Pad stands for unity. That was the dream in 1967 and it is the dream today. We hope you’ll feel it when you walk through the door; you are very welcome here. Everyone is. After all, St. Paul is “A People Kind of Place.” We are open from May until October annually, and represent over 50 artisans from the St. Paul area. The Landing Pad is a wonderful place to get tourist information as well as a special memento or unique gift. Local pottery, jewelry, paintings, and sculpture will be sure to spark inspiration as you find that perfect spot back home or at the cabin to display your new find!
World’s Largest Pyrogy
Take your picture at the huge Pyrogy in the Village of Glendon. The Pyrogy stands 25 feet tall, 12 feet wide, and weighs 6,000 pounds. Made out of fibreglass and steel, the giant structure was constructed by PML Exhibits of Calgary at the company’s site in Salmon Arm, B.C., and transported to Glendon on August 26, 1991. In September, the annual Pyrogy Festival attracts hundreds of people.
Angus Shaw Statue at the Bonnyville & District Museum
A 7-meter high statue of Angus Shaw, a late 1700s fur trader and explorer and stands for posterity’s sake as a reminder of Shaw’s contribution to the fur trade in Western Canada. On site are two churches, a replica of Durlingville School House and a 1907 house that typifies pioneer life as it was in the early years of settlement.
Statue of David Thompson
Famous explorer and mapmaker, David Thompson was the first European to reach the shores of Lac La Biche Lake. This 12-foot long statue was built to commemorate Lac La Biche’s bicentennial and to recognize Thompson’s landing on the shores of Lac La Biche.
Wood Bison Gateway & The Matcheetawin Trails
Approximately 27 km north of Fort McMurray, visitors are greeted by a massive stone sculpture of a Wood Bison herd. The Wood Bison Gateway marks the beginning of the Matcheetawin Discovery Trails (a Cree word meaning “beginning place”) and the Sagow Pematosowin Trail (Cree for “living in peaceful co-existence with the land”). The four-kilometre interpretive trail system on 50 hectares of land offers visitors the opportunity to see various types of reclaimed land ranging from forests to grasslands and wetlands.
World’s Largest Mushrooms
The World’s Largest Mushrooms are a giant replica sculpture of the tricholoma uspale mushroom, a mushroom that grows wild in the area and is often used dried or cooked as a traditional ingredient in the ethnic dishes of the region. In Vilna, mushroom hunting has been a tradition since the early Ukrainian settlers arrival in the early 1900s.
Smoky Lake Pumpkin Park
Recognized as the Pumpkin Capital of Alberta and home of the annual Great White North Pumpkin Fair, the Town of Smoky Lake also features a Pumpkin Park. Families from all over Alberta come to see the famous giant concrete pumpkins. The park is also considered the launch point for many planning an adventure down the famous Iron Horse Trail.
World’s Largest Mallard Duck
With a wingspan of 23 feet, this giant roadside attraction was erected to honor the local wetlands being a popular breeding ground for the Mallard as well as several other water fowl. On your way there, make sure to bring your binoculars to the designated wildlife viewing areas south and east of Andrew.
World’s Largest Ukrainian Sausage
This 12.8 m (42 feet) tall monument is a tribute to Stawnichy’s Meat Processing, a family-run sausage factory famous for its kielbasa since 1959. While you are there to appreciate this great accomplishment, make sure to go by the factory and request for a tour Tuesday through Thursday.