We’ve long stated Saskatoon is a city with something for everyone, and that includes architecture lovers too! Here’s our list of the 16 most impressive buildings and sites you have to catch next time you travel to Saskatoon.
This Neo-Gothic Cathedral has stood tall since 1912—having been built out of the original wooden structure, it is the first Anglican parish in the city. The structure itself is composed of a beautiful assortment of fieldstone—including granite, gabbro, diorite, gneiss, schist and dolomite.
After two years of construction, this massive church in the Collegiate Gothic style was opened in 1914. With seating for more than 1,200 people, it’s hard to believe the wooden structure this church replaced only fit an eighth of that number! The acoustics are simply superb and we recommend music lovers listen to their talented choir if you're in the area.
Saskatoon’s Grand Railway Hotel opened in 1935 becoming the tallest building in the city until being supplanted by the Marquis Tower in 1966.
One of the last of the Grand Railway Hotels to open, it was designed to exemplify the distinct characteristics of Canada’s take on the Châteauesque style—deeply taking cues from medieval Bavaria.
Saskatoon’s War memorial has stood to commemorate the people of Saskatoon who gave their lives for Canada since 1929. The city commissioned the monument as a contest with a grand prize of $250. They specified a large chiming clock must be included at the top to serve both an aesthetic and utilitarian purpose as to signify looking both into the past, as well as the future.
This historical church based on the English gothic style has towered over the city since its construction in 1911. The impressive vaulted ceilings will leave you breathless. Unfortunately, the church ended regular service in 2018, but it still opens its doors every now and then for concerts and private tours. The acoustics are just as great as the architecture.
Located in Kiwanis Memorial Park—a beautiful walk down the Meewasin Trail from our beautiful Hallmark Place suites, you’ll see this picturesque bandshell built to honour the veterans of World War I.
If visiting the city in the summer, pack a lunch to enjoy on some of the surrounding picnic tables, or even get a BBQ going. In the winter, pack the skates and make your way to the nearby Cameco Meewasin Skating Rink.
An excellent example of the Romanesque Revival style, this building, designed by the architectural firm of Storey and Van Egmond has stood in Saskatoon’s central business district since its completion in 1912.
Though since 1959, it no longer houses the land title office, it’s still not a site to miss on your next Saskatoon vacation.
If you take a visit to the Forestry Farm Park and Zoo, make sure to stop at this historical farmhouse of the Georgian brick design built in 1913. Originally a tree nursery station, this site quickly grew to include a pump house, greenhouse and even a blacksmith shop before later being incorporated into the Saskatoon Zoo.
Take a short walk along a beautifully scenic trail from our bright and sunny Kristjanson Road short-term rental apartment, and be there in minutes!
Full of so many stunning stone buildings, the University of Saskatchewan is a must stop for any architecture lover. Make your way to “The Bowl”, the central court of the complex to catch some of the school’s oldest buildings, such as the centrepiece at the heart of the campus, the College Building.
Note the gargoyles adorning the walls of this Collegiate Gothic masterpiece.
Built in 1911 as a warehouse to the large machinery of the Canadian Fairbanks Company, this downtown Saskatoon building was designed by David Brown and Hugh Vallance of Montreal—the same team to design many of the buildings at the University of Saskatchewan campus.
In 1948 it housed the Co-operative Commonwealth Federation while also functioning as a union hall. These days, it has been redeveloped into condominium loft spaces, and isn’t too far from our historic and spacious Rumely Suite—more on that one later.
Used as a gathering spot for more than 6,000 years, people came here to hunt bison and settle down for the long cold winters in the area. This unique building was erected in 1992 on a mission to spread awareness and appreciation of the North Plains First Nations people.
Currently, Wanuskewin is seeking UNESCO World Heritage designation which would make it the very first of such sites in Saskatchewan.
The site has also been used since the 1930s for archaeological research—now managed by the University of Saskatchewan.
For more on Saskatchewan’s dinosaurs and indiginous history, including how you can meet the world’s largest preserved T-rex fossil (...his name is Scotty), check out our guide for the best things to do this winter in Regina.
Opening to Saskatonians in 1946, this Art Deco movie theatre in the Streamline Moderne style shines its bright neon marquis on Broadway Avenue. Today the old movie house is Canada's only community-owned non-profit repertory cinema showcasing the best of Canadian cinema and art film.
Reserve your short-term rental apartment at our modern and chic Broadway suite and be right around the corner from this renowned piece of the city’s cultural history. Your pet can come too!
Take the Meewasin Trail just up the road from Broadway along Cosmopolitan park overlooking the South Saskatchewan River, and you’ll come across this unusual looking home in the Cottage Vernacular architectural style.
Designed by local architect Frank Percy Martin and built in 1926, Martin shared the home with his brother, using the third floor as his personal office.
The M. Rumely Company constructed this building to serve as both a showroom and office for their heavy farm equipment. Most notably, the floors on the top levels were built to be nine inches thick to support the massive equipment on display!
Today, you can actually book your own executive suite inside this historic building the next time you travel to Saskatoon. There’s no longer farm equipment on display, but there are day spa baths, a fully equipped kitchen, and expansive ceilings up to 17’ in height!
Just a short walk from our fully-furnished Rumely suite is Saskatoon’s historic railway station. Servicing the Canadian Pacific Railway, the Grand Trunk Railway and the Canadian National Railway, this versatile station built in 1908 gave Saskatoon the nick-name Hub City.
No longer operational, today the station is a designated National Historic Site of Canada and an excellent example of the signature Chateau style employed by Canadian railways at the time.
But Saskatoon is not without contemporary architecture either. Taking deep inspiration from Frank Lloyd Wright’s Prairie style (but with a modern twist), this remarkable building nestled in Saskatoon’s River Landing district, stretches its cantilevers towards the South Saskatchewan River—giving patrons an unparalleled view of the phenomenal local landscape in addition to its modern and postmodern art collection.
Opening its doors in 2017, the gallery houses the world’s most comprehensive collection of Picasso linocuts—valued at over $20 million! You’ll also find plenty of Canadian artists like Lawren Harris, Emily Carr, and David Milne.
Saskatoon has so many impressive buildings—both historical and contemporary—this list only scratches the surface. Truly the only way to enjoy the beautiful architecture of the city is to see it with your own eyes.
Book your stay at one of our fully-furnished apartments and houses throughout Saskatoon, and take in the sites for yourself all without sacrificing the comforts of home—such as high-speed internet, a fully-equipped kitchen, in-suite washer and dryer, and of course our signature bedding. See you soon!
