Casa Loma - Toronto, Canada

House on the Hill

No visit to Toronto would be complete without seeing Casa Loma - the
House on the Hill.

Although one of the most famous 'historical' sites in the city it is
not, in truth, very old. Casa Loma is a romantic 98-room mansion, in
the style of a medieval castle. Some might call it a neo-gothic
monstrosity. I found it intriguing.

Work began in 1911 and it took Sir Henry Mill Pellatt three years and
Cdn.$3.3 million to complete his dream home. He had a life-long
fascination with European castles and having studied these closely he
engaged the services of Canadian architect, E. J. Lennox. Lennox based
Sir Henry's fairy-tale castle on the Norman, Romanesque, and Gothic
styles.

Casa Loma certainly is impressive with its Elizabethan-style chimneys,
Rhineland turrets, battlements, gardens, terraces and secret
passageways.

Sir Henry procured oak and walnut from North America, teak from Asia
plus marble, glass and wood panelling from Europe. The house was
furnished with furniture and artwork from around the world, much of
which remains in situ.

Enter through the main door into the grandiose Great Hall and be sure
to look up at its magnificent 60' high oak beamed ceiling.

A highlight of your visit will almost certainly be the Conservatory
with its high domed roof with stained-glass panels, Italianate bronze
doors, and beautiful pink and green marble flooring. Seasonal flowers
and plants grow in raised beds heated by sub-surface steam pipes.

Sir Henry's mahogany panelled study has secret passageways that allowed
him to 'escape' from unwanted visitors to his private suite on the next
floor or to his wine cellar in the basement. Climb the secret staircase
up to his private suite.

Adjoining Sir Henry's suite is his luxurious bathroom. The showerhead,
designed by Sir Henry, is 18 inches in diameter and is intended to
completely surround the body with water.

On the third floor The Queen's Own Rifles Museum, one of Canada's
oldest regiments, sets out the history of the regiment in which Sir
Henry achieved the rank of Major General. He had joined the Regiment in
an attempt to gain social standing. He had been regarded as an
eccentric and not readily accepted into Toronto's upper classes perhaps
because of his penchant for wearing ridiculous costumes. For example,
he was often seen wearing a costume that was a cross between an Indian
chief and a British colonel. His love of the Queen's Own Rifles was
such that in 1910 he took the 600-strong regiment to England for
military games at his own expense.

Also on the third floor is the Garden Room where displays set out the
history and construction of the gardens. This room provides a good
vantage point for viewing the six acres of pleasantly landscaped
gardens, with their sculptures and fountains. It's a pity that the
gardens are closed during the winter months.

If you've still feel energetic there are two towers to climb. The
enclosed Scottish Tower offers the highest views from the castle. The
West Tower, open to the elements, presents magnificent views of
Downtown Toronto and the surrounding area.

Descend from the Towers into the depths of the castle to see the
swimming pool. Originally Sir Henry had planned that cloisters, marble
arches, and gold swans would enhance the area surrounding the pool.
Unfortunately, it was never completed and has mainly been used for
storage.

Also in the basement is the wine cellar where Sir Henry stored his
personal collection of nearly 1800 bottles of wine and champagne. A
secret passage connects the cellar directly to Sir Henry's study.

Before you leave the basement enjoy a relaxing break in the caf?.
Prices are reasonable and the tea was good - unusual for Canadian
restaurants!

An 800-foot underground tunnel links the castle to the stables where
Sir Henry kept his many horses. Clearly an animal lover, he spared no
expense on their, some might say, extravagant mahogany horse stalls,
the floors of which were covered with Spanish tiles.

The house is open daily, 9.30 a.m. to 4 p.m. throughout the year. All
three storeys, but not the towers, are served by a lift. Disabled
access is generally good but access to the secret staircases is not
possible in a wheelchair. The gardens are open only during the summer
months and there is a ramp to one of the viewing terraces.

Some might call this a neo-gothic monstrosity but we spent several
hours exploring the house and stables and loved every bit of it. We
certainly hope to come again.

Casa Loma certainly did hold my interest. It was good value for money
and definitely to be recommended.

Infospot: Casa Loma - 1 Austin Terrace at: Spadina Rd. situated two
blocks north of Dupont subway station. &;#61537;(416) 923-1171
www.casaloma.org

Daily 9:30am-5pm Last admittance 4pm. CLOSED December 25 and January
1

Admission: Adults (18-59) $10; Seniors (60+) $6.50; Youth (14-17)
$6.50; Children (4-13) $6; Children 3 and under are free when
accompanied by an adult.
Self Guided Tours

GARDENS Open May-Oct. - not wheelchair accessible.