Centennial Flame

Set in a fountain at the front of Parliament Hill in Ottawa, this perpetual flame was lit on New Year's Eve in 1966 to mark the centennial of Canadian Confederation. Fed by natural gas, it burns from the center of a stone basin ringed by the shields of the provinces and territories, arranged in the order they joined the country. Water flows around the flame in an unusual pairing of fire and water. Visitors toss coins into the basin, and the proceeds fund an annual award for Canadians with disabilities.