Casa Loma facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Casa Loma
Exterior of Casa Loma in 2012
General information
Type	Mansion; established as a museum in 1937 (1937)
Architectural style	Gothic Revival
Location	1 Austin Terrace Toronto, Ontario M5R 1X8
Coordinates	43°40′41″N 79°24′34″W / 43.6781°N 79.4095°W / 43.6781; -79.4095
Current tenants	Liberty Entertainment Group (since 2014) ((since 2014))
Construction started	1911
Completed	1914
Cost	CA$5.4M
Client	Sir Henry Pellatt
Owner	City of Toronto
Dimensions
Other dimensions	Grounds: 343,253 sqft
Technical details
Floor count	7 floors
Floor area	64,700 sq.ft.
Design and construction
Architect	E. J. Lennox
Ontario Heritage Act
Official name: Casa Loma
Type:	Designated Part IV (Heritage Property)
Designated:	1987

Casa Loma is a huge castle-like house and garden in Toronto, Canada. Its name means "Hill House" in a mix of Spanish. It was built between 1911 and 1914 for a rich businessman named Sir Henry Pellatt.

Today, Casa Loma is a popular historic house museum. It's also a famous place for movies and TV shows. Many people choose it for weddings and special events.

Discovering Casa Loma's Past

Construction of Casa Loma, around 1912

Sir Henry Pellatt bought the land for Casa Loma in 1903. He hired E. J. Lennox, a famous architect, to design his dream home. Building started in 1911. First, they built the big stables, a potting shed, and a hunting lodge. These buildings were a short walk north of where the main house would be.

The hunting lodge was a two-story house with rooms for servants. Sir Henry lived there while the main mansion was being built. The stables were used as a construction site. Some of the old machinery is still in the rooms under the stables.

Building a Dream Castle

The main house cost about $3.5 million to build. It took 299 workers three years to finish. Construction stopped because World War I began. When finished, it had 98 rooms and was Canada's largest private home.

Casa Loma had many cool features for its time. It had an elevator and a huge oven that could cook an ox. There were also two secret passages in Sir Henry's office. Plans included a pool and three bowling lanes, but these were never finished.

Most of the third floor was left empty. Today, it holds a museum for The Queen's Own Rifles of Canada. Sir Henry Pellatt was a soldier in this regiment. He became a high-ranking officer and was even knighted.

From Home to Hotel

Sir Henry enjoyed his mansion for less than ten years. After the war, his finances became difficult. The city also raised his property taxes a lot. He had to sell many of his valuable art pieces and furniture. Sir Henry left Casa Loma in 1923.

In the late 1920s, Casa Loma became a fancy hotel. During Prohibition, it was a popular spot for rich Americans. A famous band, the Casa Loma Orchestra, played there.

Saving the Castle

Lieutenant-Governor Herbert Bruce opens Casa Loma to the public, 1937

The city took over Casa Loma in 1924 because of unpaid taxes. For years, the building was empty. In the 1930s, a radio host named Claire Wallace visited. She broadcast an appeal to save the building from being torn down.

Her message was heard by a local Kiwanis Club. In 1937, the Kiwanis Club of West Toronto leased Casa Loma. They started running it as a place for tourists to visit.

Wartime Secrets and New Management

During World War II, the stables were used for a secret project. They helped research and build sonar devices. These devices were used to find German U-boats. The area was hidden behind an "Under Repairs" sign. This helped keep the secret work hidden.

A dinner party at Casa Loma in 1976. The Kiwanis Club managed the property for many years.

The Kiwanis Club managed Casa Loma for 74 years, until 2011. During this time, the mansion also got a big makeover. The city helped pay for a $33-million restoration project.

In 2014, a new company, Liberty Entertainment Group, took over. They agreed to spend more money to keep improving the mansion. They also opened a fancy restaurant inside Casa Loma.

Exploring Casa Loma's Design

Sir Henry brought skilled workers from Europe to design the furniture and details. Casa Loma has five acres of beautiful gardens. A tunnel connects the main house to the Hunting Lodge and the stables.

The Oak Room

The Oak Room is the most decorated room in the house.

The Oak Room is the most decorated room in Casa Loma. It was used for important events. Its walls are covered in wood panels. Three skilled workers spent three years carving them. The ceiling is also highly decorated.

Other Unique Rooms

The Conservatory is located on the main floor of the building.

The Conservatory is a beautiful room filled with plants. It also has a fountain. The Round Room is shaped to fit under one of the mansion's towers. Its doors and windows curve to match the room's shape.

Main Floor Rooms

Second Floor Rooms

Lady Pellatt's Suite is on the second floor.

The Bridal Suite at Casa Loma

Third Floor Rooms

Basement Areas

Stables Area

The Stables at Casa Loma show a vintage car exhibition in the Carriage Room

Exterior Areas

• Gardens
• Parking lots

Special Exhibitions

Girl Guide Exhibit

The Girl Guide Exhibit opened on the second floor in 1973. Lady Pellatt often invited the Girl Guides to her home. Their first visit was in 1913. They explored the conservatories and stables. They even climbed to the top of a tower. Girl Guiding events still happen at Casa Loma today.

Vintage Car Exhibition

Since 2014, the garage and carriage room show off old cars. These cars are from the early 1900s.

• 

  1910 Maxwell Model Q Standard

• 

  1910 Maxwell Model Q Standard

• 

  1922 Ford Model T Woody

• 

  1924-1925 Ford Model T Touring

• 

  1929 Ford Model A

Finding Casa Loma

The property is located on a hill above Davenport Road

Casa Loma is located on Austin Terrace in Toronto. It sits on a hill called Davenport Hill. This hill was once the shoreline of an ancient lake. From Casa Loma, you can see great views of Toronto.

The stables are at 330 Walmer Road. The Hunting Lodge is at 328 Walmer Road. You can get to Casa Loma by subway. The closest stations are St. Clair West and Dupont.

Casa Loma in Movies and TV

Casa Loma is a very popular place for filming movies and TV shows. It has been seen in many famous productions.

Some movies filmed here include:

• X-Men
• Chicago
• The Tuxedo
• Scott Pilgrim vs. the World
• Crimson Peak
• The Pacifier
• Ready or Not

It has also appeared in TV shows like:

• Warehouse 13
• Twitches and Twitches Too
• Titans (as Wayne Manor)
• Being Erica
• Goosebumps (A Night In Terror Tower)
• Hemlock Grove
• The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones and Shadowhunters
• Strange Paradise

Casa Loma was even turned into Hogwarts for a Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows event. It also became The Beast's Castle for Disney's 2017 live-action Beauty and The Beast movie. In 2022, a music video for the song Wait for U by Future and Drake was filmed here.

See also

In Spanish: Casa Loma para niños

• Mary Lake Augustinian Monastery
• List of museums in Toronto