The Skywalk at Union Station

A major construction project on former railway lands, the Skywalk is an enclosed walkway in Toronto’s PATH network – something that locals know well. It’s a 30-kilometer-long underground network of pedestrian tunnels connecting subway stations, office buildings, shops, hotels, and shopping malls throughout Toronto. The Guinness Book of Records has called this labyrinth “the world’s largest underground shopping complex,” covering nearly 372,000 square meters. You can get around to pretty much anywhere, but chances are you’ll get lost your first time here… The Skywalk itself only covers 160 metres of this entire network. Since its inauguration in 1989, it has connected Union Station, the CN Tower, and the Rogers Centre, beneath a curved metal and glass ceiling, a hallmark of postmodern style. It looks impressive, and more importantly, it shelters pedestrians from Toronto’s extreme winter temperatures, which can drop as low as -30°C. The Skywalk was threatened with demolition in 2014 to make way for a 48-story office building. Luckily, these plans were abandoned, and today, no one can imagine there being another skyscraper in place of this arcade leading straight into the heart of Toronto.