Casa Loma

Casa Loma – Toronto

Built in 1911 – 1914 in Toronto, in Gothic Revival style, and established as museum in 1937, Casa Loma is a largest residential house in Canada. It’s one of the most visible landmarks of the city of Toronto.

Casa Loma was commandeered by Henry Pellatt and designed and built by the architect E. J. Lennox. Its name means Hill House in Spanish.

The Casa Loma history begins in 1903, when Sir Henry Pellatt purchases 25 lots from developers Kertland and Rolf. The construction starts with the massive stables, potting shed and Hunting Lodge (coach-house) with servants’ quarters, located a few hundred feet north of the main building. As soon as the stable complex was completed, Sir Henry sold his summer house in Scarborough to his son and moved to the Hunting Lodge.

Casa Loma took a team of 300 workers three years to build from start to finish. However, due to the start of World War I, construction on the house was halted.

(All the pictures were taken by Elena).

Casa Loma as seen from Spadina Avenue. Photo: Elena

Casa Loma has 98 rooms on 7 floors, with a global floor area of 64,700 square feet. The estate is surrounded by gardens. Notable amenities include an elevator, an oven large enough to cook an ox, two vertical passages for pipe organs, a central vacuum, two secret passages in Sir Henry’s ground-floor office, along with a pool and three bowling alleys in the basement.

Most of the third floor of Casa Loma was left unfinished. This floor serves as the Regimental Museum for The Queen’s Own Rifles of Canada. Sir Henri Pellatt joined the Regiment as a Rifleman and rose through the ranks, eventually becoming the Commanding Officer. He was knighted for his dedication to the Regiment. Later, he served as the Honorary Colonel and was promoted Major-General upon retirement.

Sir Henry was able to enjoy life in the castle for less than ten years, leaving in 1923 after he had had to sell Casa Loma because of financial difficulties. Later, in the late 1920s, investors operated Casa Loma for a short time as a luxury hotel. During Prohibition the site became a popular nightspot for wealthy Americans. The Orange Blossoms, later known as Glen Gray and the Casa Loma Orchestra, played there in 1927–1928.

Casa Loma General View. Photo: Elena

The city of Toronto seized Casa Loma in 1933 for $27,303 in back taxes. The castle was leased by the Kiwanis Club of West Toronto. The Kiwanis Club began operating the castle under a sole-source contract as a tourist destination in 1937.

During World War II, Casa Loma was used to conceal research on sonar, and for construction of sonar devices (known as ASDIC) for U-boat detection.

Kiwanis Club managed Casa Loma for 74 years, until 2011, when the city of Toronto temporarily resumed management of Casa Loma. In January 2014 the city entered a new long-term lease and operating agreement with Liberty Entertainment Group, led by President and CEO Nick Di Donato, which agreed to spend $7.4 million to continue the castle’s restoration.

Casa Loma has five acres of gardens. An underground tunnel connects Casa Loma to the Hunting Lodge and to the stables (garage, potting shed, stalls, carriage room and tack rooms).

The Castle. Image: Elena

Amenities on Main floor: Great Hall, library, dining Room, the conservatory, serving Room, Peacock Alley, Sir Henry’s Study, smoking Room, Billiards Room, Oak Room

Amenities on Second floor: Sir Henry’s Suite, Sir Henry’s Bathroom, Lady Pellatt’s Suite, Lady Pellatt’s Bathroom, Girl Guides Exhibit, Guest Suite, Windsor Room, Round Room.

Amenities 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.

The Stables of Casa Loma. Photo : Elena

Basement: Gift Shop (Bowling lanes and shooting range – never completed), Castle Café (Gymnasium – never completed), Swimming Pool (Never completed), Wine Cellar, tunnel to Hunting Lodge and Stables.

Stables: Garage, potting Shed, stalls, carriage Room, rack Rooms, Hunting Lodge.

Exterior: Gardens, parking lots.

Sir Henry imported artisans from Europe to design much of the furniture and other features of the castle. The Oak Room (originally called the Napoleon Drawing Room) is the most decorated room in the house. It was used for formal occasions. It is encased in wood panels in the style of Grinling Gibbons which took three artisans three years to carve. The highly ornamented plaster ceiling was made by Italian craftsmen. The ceiling was enhanced by the use of indirect lighting. Among other fixtures, the room featured a ten feet (3.0 m) high Louis XVI style faux-gilt carved light standard with 24 bulbs.

Address of Casa Loma:

1 Austin Terrace

Toronto, Ontario

M5R 1X8

The wall surrounding Casa Loma. Photo: Elena

Of all the Grand Houses ever built on Spadina escarpment, Casa Loma is the Grandest.

Casa Loma means House on the hill.

Casa Loma is the Romantic Vision of industrialist Sir Henry Pelliatt (1859 – 1939).

Sir Henry Pelliat was attracted by the Middle age.

Casa Loma stables, located near the house.

With 98 rooms, Casa Loma is Canada’s largest house.

The Pellatts family moved into Casa Loma in 1913 and lived there for eleven years.

In 1924, faced with severe financial setbacks, Pellatt was forced to sell his cherished home.

After an unsuccessful attempt as an apartment-hotel, in 1937 this landmark was taken over by the West Toronto Kiwanis Club.

Flowers at Casa Loma

Kiwanis Club administrates Casa Loma

The Castle is a popular tourist attraction

Of all the Grand Houses ever built on this escarpment, Casa Loma is the Grandest. Its name means “House on the Hill” in Spanish. It was the Romantic Vision of industrialist Sir Henry Pelliatt (1859 – 1939).

Pelliat made his fortune harnessing the power of Niagara Falls to electrify the streets and homes of Toronto. A flamboyant entrepreneur, he was fascinated by the middle ages. Pellatt was knighted in 1905 as patron and commander of the Queen’s Own Rifles, a Canadian Militia Regiment. His towered mansion designed by architect E. J. Lennox in 1909 is an extravagant medieval fantasy.

At 98 rooms, it is Canada’s largest house. The Pellatts moved into Casa Loma in 1913 and lived there for eleven years. In 1924, faced with severe financial setbacks, Pellatt was forced to sell his cherished home. After an unsuccessful attempt as an apartment-hotel, in 1937 this landmark was taken over by the West Toronto Kiwanis Club who continue to manage the castle as a popular tourist attraction.