Casa Loma

Casa Loma at 1 Austin Terrace in Toronto, Ontario, is a Gothic Revival castle on the Davenport ridge, built between 1911 and 1914 for the financier and militia officer Sir Henry Pellatt. Pellatt made his fortune in electric power, including early Niagara Falls hydroelectric development, and designed the house with the architect E.J. Lennox, who also created Old City Hall. The castle has about 98 rooms, towers, turrets and a Great Hall with a high ceiling, and it was among the largest private residences in North America when completed. It reflects Edwardian wealth at its peak, and its history also records decline. Pellatt's fortune collapsed in the early 1920s, the City of Toronto took the property for unpaid taxes in 1923, and the castle later served as a hotel, a nightclub venue and a site where the Kiwanis Club of West Toronto began running tours in 1937. The city now owns it and a private operator manages visits. Visitors see the Great Hall, the Library, the Conservatory with its stained-glass dome, Pellatt's Suite, the Oak Room and a long underground passage leading to the stables and the Scottish Tower. The stables are known for their mahogany stalls and Spanish tile. Gardens behind the castle were restored by volunteers and are open for strolling in the warmer months. Interpretation is a mix of self-guided rooms, audio guide commentary and themed seasonal events. Restoration is continuous, as the large masonry structure needs ongoing repairs to the roofs, towers and interiors. The castle is a useful stop for understanding how industrial-era fortunes shaped neighbourhoods of the city, and its later use as a film location has made the exteriors familiar to many visitors.