The third largest Chinatown in Canada is located in Calgary. The Calgary is third in size behind Vancouver and Toronto. The size of the Chinatown in Calgary is representative of the high population of Chinese people in the city. There is relatively a high proportion of Calgarians who are of Chinese descent.
Chinatown is situated in the north east part of the Calgary downtown. Symbolically it is the heart of the Calgarian Chinese community. The influence of this community can be seen in North and East Calgary, which has a strong Oriental influence. Located along Centre Street South and from 4th Ave South to the Bow River, Calgary's Chinatown is a dense population and community full of Chinese shops, restaurants, cultural facilities and housing. There is also a second area along Centre Street that stretches twenty or more blocks which also has many Chinese-oriented businesses.
One of the bigger attractions in the Calgary Chinatown, as with many other Chinatowns, is the Chinese Cultural Centre. The Chinese Cultural Centre is the largest one in North America. One of its main features is a domed ceiling which was patterned after the Temple of Heaven in Beijing.
There is also the Dragon City Mall which is a small Chinese mall which is home to Chinese shops and small Chinese restaurants. There are many different locations across the city where you can have Chinese food, but to get an authentic Chinese meal with the authentic Chinese culture and experience, you have to head down to Calgary Chinatown.