Laurier Avenue (Ottawa)

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Laurier Avenue, facing west, as seen from the bridge
Laurier Avenue, facing west, as seen from the bridge

Laurier Avenue (Ottawa Road #48) is a central east west street running through Ottawa, Canada. Originally known as "Maria Street" (west of Waller) and "Theodore Street" (east of Waller), it was renamed in honour of Canadian Prime Minister Sir Wilfrid Laurier. Laurier House, the residence of Prime Ministers Laurier and William Lyon Mackenzie King is located at the corner of Laurier Avenue East and Chapel Street.

Laurier runs through the heart of downtown Ottawa. At the corner of O'Connor and Laurier is the main building of the Canadian Department of Finance. The main branch of the Ottawa Public Library is located at the intersection of Laurier and Metcalfe, and Ottawa City Hall is on Laurier between Elgin Street and Queen Elizabeth Drive.

The street crosses the Rideau Canal over the Laurier Avenue Bridge and connects to the headquarters of the Department of National Defence before heading through the campus of the University of Ottawa. It then goes through the neighbourhood of Sandy Hill. The street finally ends at Charlotte just before it meets the Rideau River.