Casa Loma

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, Ontario, Canada. Download high resolution version (2048x1536, 683 KB)Taken by SimonP in April 2005 File links The following pages link to this file: Casa Loma Categories: GFDL images ... Download high resolution version (2048x1536, 683 KB)Taken by SimonP in April 2005 File links The following pages link to this file: Casa Loma Categories: GFDL images ... Major-General Sir Henry Mill Pellatt, C.V.O., D.C.L.,(January 6, 1859, Kingston, Ontario, Canada - March 8, 1939) was a well-known Canadian financier and soldier. ... Motto: Ut Incepit Fidelis Sic Permanet (Latin: Loyal she began, loyal she remains) Capital Toronto Largest city Toronto Official languages English (de facto) Government Lieutenant-Governor David C. Onley Premier Dalton McGuinty (Liberal) Federal representation in Canadian Parliament House seats 107 Senate seats 24 Confederation July 1, 1867 (1st) Area...

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. 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 Canada. 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). Edward James Lennox (1844-1933) was a Toronto based architect who designed several of the citys most notable landmarks in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries including: Torontos Old City Hall Casa Loma the West Wing of the Ontario legislative buildings at Queens Park King Edward... Year 1911 (MCMXI) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Saturday of the 13-day-slower Julian calendar). ... Year 1914 (MCMXIV) was a common year starting on Thursday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Wednesday of the 13-day-slower Julian calendar). ... For other uses, see Elevator (disambiguation). ... Oven depicted in a painting by Millet An oven is an enclosed compartment for heating, baking or drying. ... Example EU engergy label According to an EU Directive most white goods and light bulb packaging must have an EU Energy Label clearly displayed when offered for sale or rent. ... The baroque organ in Roskilde Cathedral, Denmark The pipe organ is a musical instrument that produces sound by forcing pressurized air (referred to as wind) through a series of pipes. ... Secret passages are sometimes concealed using large items of furniture, such as this reconstruction of the bookcase that covered the entrance to Anne Franks secret room. ... A bowler releases the ball. ...

Many of the rooms were left unfinished, and today serve as the Regimental Museum for The Queen's Own Rifles of Canada. 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, Pellatt served as the Honorary Colonel and was promoted to Major-General upon retirement. The Queens Own Rifles of Canada are a militia regiment within the Canadian Forces, based in Toronto, Ontario. ... For other uses, see Rifleman (disambiguation). ... The commanding officer (CO) is the officer in command of a military unit. ...

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 only $250,000 during bankruptcy hearings. Sir Henry was able to enjoy life in the castle for only ten years, taking up residence in 1923. Pellatt also operated the building for a short time as a luxury hotel. 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. Shortly thereafter, they went on tour of North America and became a major Swing Era dance band. For other uses, see The Great Depression (disambiguation). ... Notice of closure stuck on the door of a computer store the day after its parent company, Granville Technology Group Ltd, declared bankruptcy (strictly, put into administration—see text) in the United Kingdom. ... Year 1923 (MCMXXIII) was a common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Glen Gray was a saxophonist. ... The Casa Loma Orchestra was an American swing band active from 1927 to 1963. ... The Swing Era was the period of time (1935-1946) when big band swing music was the most popular music in America. ...

Intended as Sir Henry's drawing room, the French oak panels took artisans three years to carve.

The city seized Casa Loma in 1933 for $27,303 in back taxes. Image File history File links Metadata Size of this preview: 800 × 533 pixelsFull resolution‎ (3,504 × 2,336 pixels, file size: 6. ... Image File history File links Metadata Size of this preview: 800 × 533 pixelsFull resolution‎ (3,504 × 2,336 pixels, file size: 6. ... 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. In 1937 it was opened to the public for the first time as a tourist attraction operated by the Kiwanis Club of Toronto. Coincidentally, this is the same year that Chorley Park, the Government House of Ontario was closed by the provincial government. // An official residence is the residence at which heads of state, heads of government, gubernatorial or other senior figures officially reside. ... Motto: Ut Incepit Fidelis Sic Permanet (Loyal she began, loyal she remains) Other Canadian provinces and territories Capital Toronto Largest city Toronto Lieutenant Governor James K. Bartleman Premier Dalton McGuinty (Liberal) Area 1,076,395 km² (4th)  - Land 917,741 km²  - Water 158,654 km² (14. ... Year 1937 (MCMXXXVII) was a common year starting on Friday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Kiwanis International is a service organization whose mission is Serving the Children of the World. The organization was founded on January 21, 1915 in Detroit, Michigan by Joseph C. Prance (a tailor) and Allen S. Browne (a professional event organizer). ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged with Government House (Ontario). ... Government House is the name given to some of the residences of Governors-General, Governors and Lieutenant-Governors in the Commonwealth and the former British Empire. ...

During World War II, Casa Loma was used to conceal research on sonar, and for construction of sonar devices for U-boat detection. Today it is regarded as one of Toronto's premier tourist attractions, still operated by the Kiwanis Club.

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

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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

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Third floor

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

The Queens Own Rifles of Canada are a militia regiment within the Canadian Forces, based in Toronto, Ontario. ...

Basement

Visitors examine the Potting Shed located on the grounds of Casa Loma.

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

Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (2592x1944, 1018 KB) Visitors take in the greenhouse located on the grounds of Casa Loma I, the creator of this work, hereby grant the permission to copy, distribute and/or modify this document under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (2592x1944, 1018 KB) Visitors take in the greenhouse located on the grounds of Casa Loma I, the creator of this work, hereby grant the permission to copy, distribute and/or modify this document under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation...

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. 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). Casa Loma affords views down the escarpment and Spadina Avenue into the heart of Toronto. Spadina Avenue is one of the most prominent streets in Toronto, Canada. ... Glacial Lake Iroquois was a prehistoric proglacial lake that existed at the end of the last ice age approximately 13,000 years ago. ... Lake Ontario, bounded on the north by the Canadian province of Ontario and on the south by Ontarios Niagara Peninsula and by New York State, USA, is one of the five Great Lakes of North America. ...

Casa Loma in Popular Culture

• Parts of the movie X-Men were shot at Casa Loma, which stood in for Professor Xavier's School for Gifted Youngsters.

• A few scenes in episode 12 of Pure Pwnage was shot in Casa Loma.

• Casa Loma was featured as "Elsinore Castle" in the McKenzie Brothers movie Strange Brew, both as an escargo and on the packaging for a case of fictional Elsinore beer.

• The castle featured as the setting for a battle in the second of the Scott Pilgrim series, Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World, a graphic novel by Bryan Lee O'Malley.

• Other films which include scenes filmed at Casa Loma include Chicago, The Tuxedo, and The Pacifier. Cocktail and a few others were also filmed in Casa Loma. This can be seen in the basement where there are movie posters of those films.

• The film Twitches 2 recently finished filming at Casa Loma. An Upcoming Disney film is currently being filmed at Casa Loma.

• The castle was also the setting for Canadian children's author Eric Wilson's murder mystery, The Lost Treasure of Casa Loma.

• The day the seventh Harry Potter book was released, Casa Loma was temporarily transformed into "Hogwarts"

X-Men is a 2000 superhero film based upon the fictional characters the X-Men. ... Charles Francis Xavier, also known as Professor X, is a fictional Marvel Comics superhero, known as the leader and founder of the X-Men. ... The Pure Pwnage Logo. ... Great White North album cover with Bob (left) and Doug McKenzie (right) Bob and Doug McKenzie were a pair of fictional Canadian brothers who hosted The Great White North, a sketch which was introduced on SCTV for the shows third season when it moved to the CBC in 1980. ... Strange Brew is also the title of a song by the band Cream (released on their 1967 album Disraeli Gears), and of a compilation album - Strange Brew: The Very Best of Cream Strange Brew is a 1983 film starring the popular SCTV characters Bob & Doug McKenzie, played by Dave Thomas... Scott Pilgrim Volume 1 cover Scott Pilgrim is a comedy/action/romance comic series by Bryan Lee OMalley, intended to eventually consist of six manga-sized black-and-white graphic novels. ... Bryan Lee OMalley (born 21 February 1979) is a comic book creator and music artist (as Kupek and in the band Honey Dear) from Canada. ... This article is about the 2002 film. ... The Tuxedo is a motion picture released in 2002 directed by Kevin Donovan and starring Jackie Chan, Jennifer Love Hewitt and Debi Mazar. ... The Pacifier is a 2005 action comedy film, directed by Adam Shankman, and written by Thomas Lennon and Ben Garant. ... Cocktail movie poster Cocktail was a hit movie released by Touchstone Pictures in 1988. ... ERIC WILSON is a hero to Canadians and, indeed, to kids all over the world who have read his books. ...

Image gallery

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See also

• Spadina House
• Dundonald House (Toronto) - Wellesley and Yonge Street
• Walker's House - Yonge and Front
• Clarence Lodge - Spadina and King
• Holland House (Toronto) - Wellington Street
• Parkwood Estate - Simcoe Street, Oshawa

Spadina House (built 1866) is a historic manor on Spadina Road in Toronto, Canada that is now a museum; signs directing traffic and pedestrians to the house now call it Spadina Museum. ... Front entrance of Parkwood mansion. ...

External links

• Casa Loma Official Home Page

Coordinates: 43.67815° N 79.4094556° W The following is partial list of the parks in the city of Toronto, Canada. ... This is a list of the oldest extant buildings and structures in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. ... Map of Earth showing lines of latitude (horizontally) and longitude (vertically), Eckert VI projection; large version (pdf, 1. ...