Casa Loma

In winter

Main hall

Casa Loma (Spanish for House on the Hill) is the former home of financier Sir Henry Mill Pellatt and a major tourist attraction in Toronto. Major-General Sir Henry Mill Pellatt, CVO ( January 6, 1859, Kingston Ontario, Canada - March 8, 1939) was Toronto (təˈrɒntoʊ colloquially pronounced or) is the largest city in Canada and is the provincial capital of Ontario

History

Sir Henry commissioned Canadian architect E.J. Lennox to design Casa Loma with construction beginning in 1911, starting with the massive stables a few hundred feet north of the main building. Edward James Lennox (1854-1933 was a Toronto based architect who designed several of the city's most notable landmarks in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries including Year 1911 ( MCMXI) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common year The stables were used as a construction site for the castle, with some of the machinery still remaining in the rooms under the stables. The house cost approximately $3. 5 million and took a team of 300 workers three years to build from start to finish. Upon completion in 1914, at 98 rooms, it was the largest private residence in North America. Year 1914 ( MCMXIV) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common year Notable amenities included an elevator, an oven large enough to cook a steer, two vertical passages for pipe organs, central vacuum, two secret passages in Sir Henry's ground-floor office and three bowling alleys (never completed). An elevator or lift is a Transport device used to move people or goods vertically from one floor to another An oven is an enclosed compartment for Heating, Baking or Drying. The pipe organ is a Musical instrument that produces sound when pressurized air (wind is driven through a series of pipes, controlled by a keyboard A vacuum cleaner (in colloquial British English also hoover) is a device that uses an air Pump to create a partial Vacuum to Suck A secret passage (or hidden passage or a secret tunnel) is a hidden route that is used to travel stealthily Bowling is a Game / Sport in which players attempt to score points by rolling a Bowling ball along a flat surface either into objects called pins

Many of the rooms were left unfinished, and today serve as the Regimental Museum for The Queen's Own Rifles of Canada. The Queen's Own Rifles of Canada are a Militia Regiment within the Canadian Forces, based in Toronto Ontario. Pellatt joined the Regiment as a Rifleman and rose through the ranks, eventually becoming the Commanding Officer. Rifleman is a private Soldier in a rifle unit of Infantry. Origins Although ultimately originating with the 16th century handgunners and the 17th The commanding officer ( CO) is the officer in command of a Military unit. He was knighted for his dedication to the Regiment. Later, Pellatt served as the Honorary Colonel and was promoted to Major-General upon retirement.

During the Depression, Toronto increased Casa Loma's annual property taxes from $400 to $1,200, and Pellatt—already experiencing financial difficulties—was forced to auction off $1. 5-million in art and furnishings for $250,000 during bankruptcy hearings. Bankruptcy is a legally declared inability or impairment of ability of an individual or organization to pay their Creditors Creditors may file a bankruptcy petition against Sir Henry was able to enjoy life in the castle for ten years, leaving in 1923. Year 1923 ( MCMXXIII) was a Common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar.

Vacant while proposals were considered for its future use, architect William Sparling put forward a proposal to convert the house to a luxury hotel in 1925. A long term lease was granted to Sparling to open a hotel within Casa Loma. He began completing the Great Hall and the Billiard Room, areas that Sir Henry had never finished. Sparling planned to add two large wings to the main building, one to the east and to the west, each wing containing 96 full suites and 56 rooms. At an estimated cost of $1 million for each wing, they were never built. The hotel failed in 1929.

During the late 1920s Casa Loma was also a popular nightspot. The Orange Blossoms, later known as Glen Gray and the Casa Loma Orchestra, played there for eight months in 1927–1928. Glen Gray Knoblauch, better known as Glen Gray, ( June 7, 1900 &ndash August 23, 1963, Plymouth Massachusetts) was a The Casa Loma Orchestra was an American swing band active from 1927 to 1963 Shortly thereafter, they went on tour of North America and became a major Swing Era dance band. The Swing Era was the period of time (1935&ndash1946 when Big band Swing music was the most popular music in America.

The city seized Casa Loma in 1933 for $27,303 in back taxes. Year 1933 ( MCMXXXIII) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar.

Contrary to popular belief, Casa Loma has never been an official residence of either the city or the Province of Ontario. An official residence is the residence at which Heads of state, Heads of government, gubernatorial or other senior figures officially Ontario (ɒnˈtɛrioʊ is a province located in the central part of Canada, the largest by population and second largest after Quebec In 1937 it was opened to the public for the first time as a tourist attraction operated by the Kiwanis Club of Toronto. Year 1937 ( MCMXXXVII) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Kiwanis International is a global organization of volunteers headquartered in Indianapolis Indiana. Coincidentally, this is the same year that Chorley Park, the Government House of Ontario was closed by the provincial government. Government House of Ontario was the Official residence of the province's Lieutenant Governor. Government House is the name given to some of the residences of Governors-General, Governors and Lieutenant-Governors in the Commonwealth and the

During World War II, Casa Loma was used to conceal research on sonar, and for construction of sonar devices for U-boat detection. U-boat is the anglicized version of the German word, itself an abbreviation of Unterseeboot ( undersea boat) and refers The chateau is still operated by the Kiwanis Club. For other senses of this word see Château (disambiguation. A château (plural châteaux) is a Manor house or residence Today it is one of Toronto's most popular tourist attractions.

Layout

Casa Loma has five acres of gardens. An underground tunnel connects Casa Loma to The Stables (Garage, Potting Shed, Stalls, Carriage Room and Tack Rooms).

Main floor

Sir Henry aspired to have members of the Royal Family stay in the Guest Suite.

• Great Hall
• Library
• Dining Room

The Conservatory showcases plants and, at one end, this fountain.

• The Conservatory
• Serving Room
• Peacock Alley
• Sir Henry's Study
• Smoking Room
• Billiard Room
• Oak Room

Second floor

• Sir Henry's Suite
• Sir Henry's Bathroom

Lady Pellatt's Suite.

• Lady Pellatt's Suite
• Lady Pellatt's Bathroom
• Girl Guides Exhibit
• Guest Suite
• Windsor Room

The Round Room is designed to fit beneath the castle's tower. This room is notable for its doors and windows, which curve to follow the shape of the room.

• Round Room

Third floor

• The Queen's Own Rifles of Canada Regimental Museum
• Stairs to Towers
• The Kiwanis Room
• The Garden Room
• Servant's Room
• The Austin Room

Basement

Visitors examine the Potting Shed located on the grounds of Casa Loma. The Queen's Own Rifles of Canada are a Militia Regiment within the Canadian Forces, based in Toronto Ontario.

• Gift Shop (Bowling lanes and shooting range - never completed)
• Castle Café (Gymnasium - never completed)
• Swimming Pool (Never completed)
• Wine Cellar
• Tunnel to Stables

Stables

• Garage
• Potting Shed
• Stalls
• Carriage Room
• Tack Rooms

Appointments

Sir Henry imported artisans from Europe to design much of the furniture and other features of the castle, a few of which can be seen in the images below.

Location

Casa Loma is on Austin Terrace, at the north end of Spadina Road on an escarpment (Davenport Hill) above Davenport Road. Spadina Avenue is one of the most prominent streets in Toronto Ontario, Canada. Davenport runs along the bottom of the escarpment which was the shoreline of Lake Iroquois, the predecessor of Lake Ontario (coordinates 43°40′41″N 79°24′34″W / 43.678, -79.4093). Glacial Lake Iroquois was a prehistoric Proglacial lake that existed at the end of the last Ice age approximately 13000 years ago Lake Ontario is one of the five Great Lakes of North America. Casa Loma affords views down the escarpment and Spadina Avenue into the heart of Toronto.

Casa Loma in popular culture

Due to its unique architectural character in Toronto, Casa Loma has been a popular location for movies and TV. For example, it has served as a location for movies such as X-Men, Strange Brew, Chicago, The Tuxedo, and The Pacifier. X-Men is a 2000 Superhero film based on the fictional Marvel Comics characters of the same name. The Adventures of Bob & Doug McKenzie Strange Brew is a 1983 film starring the popular SCTV characters Bob & Doug McKenzie, played Chicago is a Musical film adaptation of the satirical stage musical Chicago, the film explores the themes of The Tuxedo is a 2002 action/comedy film starring Jackie Chan and Jennifer Love Hewitt. The Pacifier is a 2005 action Comedy film, directed by Adam Shankman, and written by Thomas Lennon Comic books and children's novels that have used it include the Scott Pilgrim series and Eric Wilson's murder mystery, The Lost Treasure of Casa Loma. Scott Pilgrim is a Comedy / This article is about the Canadian author For the American author see Eric Wilson (suspense writer. It was also temporarily transformed into "Hogwarts" for the release of the 7th Harry Potter book.

Girl Guiding at Casa Loma

Lady Pellatt frequently invited the Girl Guides to her home. Lady Mary Pellatt (née Dodgson (1858 - 1924 was the first Chief Commissioner of the Girl Guides of Canada. Girl Guides of Canada - Guides du Canada is the national Guiding association of Canada. Their first visit was in 1913 when 250 girls and their leaders toured the conservatories, the stables, climbed the circular staircase to the top turret and then were served tea in the Palm Room. Year 1913 ( MCMXIII) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common In March 1914, Lady Pellatt watched the Guides annual fête from her bedroom window as she was too ill to leave her room. ^[1] Rallies became an annual event at the house. Guides also skated on the house's curling rink in winter. Curling is a team Sport with similarities to Bowls and Shuffle board, played by two teams of four players each on a rectangular sheet of carefully prepared

Image gallery

See also

• Spadina House
• Parkwood Estate - Simcoe Street, Oshawa

References

1. ^ Fact Sheet Lady Mary Pellatt. Spadina House, also called Spadina Museum, is an historic manor on Spadina Road in Toronto, Canada that is now a museum operated by the The Parkwood Estate, located in Oshawa Ontario (Canada was the home of Samuel McLaughlin (founder of General Motors of Canada and was home to the McLaughlins from Girl Guides of Canada Guides du Canada. Girl Guides of Canada - Guides du Canada is the national Guiding association of Canada. Retrieved on 2007-12-01. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 800 - Charlemagne judges the accusations against Pope Leo III in the Vatican

External links

• Casa Loma Official Home Page