On the brow of a hill, overlooking Toronto, the striking silhouette of a massive castle dominates the skyline and stirs the imagination. Based on a life-long fascination with European castles, Sir Henry Mill Pellatt, a prominent Canadian financier, industrialist, and military officer of the early twentieth century, borrowed the most pleasing elements of Norman, Gothic, and Romanesque styles to create Casa Loma. With more than 350,000 visitors annually, Casa Loma continues to be one of Toronto, Ontario’s premiere tourist attractions.
From its imposing stone gates, to its magnificent gardens, terraced grounds, medievil turrets and 98 rooms, this fairytale castle is both impressive and bewildering: one cannot help but wonder about the kind of man who would build such a home for himself.
Born in Kingston, Ontario in 1859, Sir Henry Pellatt was the most dramatic Canadian of his day. He was a visionary, whether it was being first to bring electric lights to the streets of Toronto or the first to invest in a Canadian air service. He was a patriot and philanthropist, as commanding officer and private sponsor of the Queen’s Own Rifles, the Canadian regiment that still marches to this day. And he was a colossus in Canadian business, with interests in everything from insurance to railways. At his height, Sir Henry sat on dozens of corporate boards comprising fully 25% of Canada’s economy, a feat unmatched today. When he commissioned noted architect E. J. Lennox to help him realize a life-long dream – the creation of a “medieval” castle on the brow of a hill overlooking Toronto, it would be the largest home in Canada.
The construction began in 1911 and took 300 men nearly three years to complete at a cost of $3,500,000. Sir Henry and his beloved wife, Mary, filled the home with many treasured antiques and paintings.
The tour starts in the Great Hall,
the central point of the castle, with its soaring 60 foot oak-beamed ceiling. It’s really a bargain at $11.00 a ticket for seniors over the age of 60. It is a self guided digital audio tour and takes you through the castle step by step. We marveled at the beauty of the stained glass dome in the castle’s Conservatory, 
discovered the Pellatt family crest in the Library ceiling, and observed the intricate carving of the paneled Oak Room.
A serving room originally served two purposes. When formal dinners were held in the dining room, this room was used by servants as a serving room. 
Food was brought here from the kitchens, served on to plates, and then taken into the diners. At other times, this room was an intimate breakfast area for the Pellatts. A breath-taking view of the city rewarded us as we climbed up the turreted towers. There are secret stairways and a luxurious carriage room and stables connected to the castle by an 800 foot tunnel. The stables housed his prized horses and the stalls are constructed of Mahogany while the floors are clad in Spanish tiles. 
Lady Pellatt’s suite reflected her love of pastel colors and was large enough to allow her to maneuver later in her life when she became wheelchair-bound.
The original Gardens of Casa Loma were modeled after an English Gentleman’s Garden containing a series of parterres with gravel paths, vegetable gardens, flowers and fruit trees. A greenhouse complex, featuring a potting shed and conservatory served as a work area for a staff of three gardeners who tended to the magnificent grounds. Today, both formal and informal gardens adorn the beautifully landscaped grounds of this six acre estate. At every turn the senses are delighted by dancing fountains, unusual sculpture, and the dazzling, everchanging colors of a Canadian garden. 
But the demands of maintaining his castle, combined with a series of ill-advised investments and the fall of the Home Bank of Canada, undid Sir Henry. He and Lady Mary were forced to leave Casa Loma and auction off their possessions to pay off his debts. In 1920, the City of Toronto raised taxes from $6,836 per year (in today’s dollars) to $116,891 per year (also today’s dollars). Lady Pellatt held the title to Casa Loma but at her death in 1924, the title reverted to Henry, making financial matters even worse. In 1930, after failed attempts to operate Casa Lomas as an exclusive apartment-hotel, the magnificent building sat vacant! In 1935 the City decided to take the cruel step of forcing the then 75 year old Pellatt into bankruptcy for back taxes. The City staff was aware that a declaration of bankruptcy would cause Sir Henry to lose his knighthood – a title that was very precious to him. The City purchased the estate for a grossly undervalued $27,305. Once the action was completed, a previously scheduled bankruptcy hearing was suddenly and permanently adjourned. Pellatt was able to retain his title of Knight Bachelor but at the cost of his million dollar estate! It is now owned by the City of Toronto and operated by the Kiwanis Club of Casa Loma and remains today as a monument to this extraordinary Canadian.
After spending four hours touring the castle and grounds, we have to admit that it is probably one of the best tours we have been on. We’ve been to the Vanderbilt Mansion, Hearst Castle, a Plantation home and now Casa Loma. For the price, you can’t find a better tour with more information.
Though we were tired, we decided to also tour the Royal Ontario Museum which is Canada’s largest museum of world cultures and natural history. It also ranks as the fifth largest museum in North America and contains more than six million items and over 40 separate galleries. It is truly a one-stop sightseeing extravaganza where you can travel from one amazing exhibit to the next to learn about the world’s history and culture. Dinosaurs,
aquatic fossils,
an ancient Egyptian mummy case, Greek and Roman Artifacts, 
Life in China, Korea, and Japan, and Canada’s First Peoples are just some of the options. 
Another four hours and we just were able to walk thru all the exhibits. It is easily a two day event if you truly wanted to delve into everything. The building’s latest addition is built in the shape of a crystal and provides a very picturesque façade for the museum.
Once again, if you like museums, this is a must-see!
We drug our worn-out bodies back to the subway – fortunately it wasn’t far from the museum – and rode home.
Tomorrow we will be heading out and arriving at Ottawa for another fun-packed three days. See you down the road!
From its imposing stone gates, to its magnificent gardens, terraced grounds, medievil turrets and 98 rooms, this fairytale castle is both impressive and bewildering: one cannot help but wonder about the kind of man who would build such a home for himself.Born in Kingston, Ontario in 1859, Sir Henry Pellatt was the most dramatic Canadian of his day. He was a visionary, whether it was being first to bring electric lights to the streets of Toronto or the first to invest in a Canadian air service. He was a patriot and philanthropist, as commanding officer and private sponsor of the Queen’s Own Rifles, the Canadian regiment that still marches to this day. And he was a colossus in Canadian business, with interests in everything from insurance to railways. At his height, Sir Henry sat on dozens of corporate boards comprising fully 25% of Canada’s economy, a feat unmatched today. When he commissioned noted architect E. J. Lennox to help him realize a life-long dream – the creation of a “medieval” castle on the brow of a hill overlooking Toronto, it would be the largest home in Canada.
The construction began in 1911 and took 300 men nearly three years to complete at a cost of $3,500,000. Sir Henry and his beloved wife, Mary, filled the home with many treasured antiques and paintings.
The tour starts in the Great Hall,
the central point of the castle, with its soaring 60 foot oak-beamed ceiling. It’s really a bargain at $11.00 a ticket for seniors over the age of 60. It is a self guided digital audio tour and takes you through the castle step by step. We marveled at the beauty of the stained glass dome in the castle’s Conservatory, discovered the Pellatt family crest in the Library ceiling, and observed the intricate carving of the paneled Oak Room. A serving room originally served two purposes. When formal dinners were held in the dining room, this room was used by servants as a serving room. Food was brought here from the kitchens, served on to plates, and then taken into the diners. At other times, this room was an intimate breakfast area for the Pellatts. A breath-taking view of the city rewarded us as we climbed up the turreted towers. There are secret stairways and a luxurious carriage room and stables connected to the castle by an 800 foot tunnel. The stables housed his prized horses and the stalls are constructed of Mahogany while the floors are clad in Spanish tiles. Lady Pellatt’s suite reflected her love of pastel colors and was large enough to allow her to maneuver later in her life when she became wheelchair-bound.
The original Gardens of Casa Loma were modeled after an English Gentleman’s Garden containing a series of parterres with gravel paths, vegetable gardens, flowers and fruit trees. A greenhouse complex, featuring a potting shed and conservatory served as a work area for a staff of three gardeners who tended to the magnificent grounds. Today, both formal and informal gardens adorn the beautifully landscaped grounds of this six acre estate. At every turn the senses are delighted by dancing fountains, unusual sculpture, and the dazzling, everchanging colors of a Canadian garden. But the demands of maintaining his castle, combined with a series of ill-advised investments and the fall of the Home Bank of Canada, undid Sir Henry. He and Lady Mary were forced to leave Casa Loma and auction off their possessions to pay off his debts. In 1920, the City of Toronto raised taxes from $6,836 per year (in today’s dollars) to $116,891 per year (also today’s dollars). Lady Pellatt held the title to Casa Loma but at her death in 1924, the title reverted to Henry, making financial matters even worse. In 1930, after failed attempts to operate Casa Lomas as an exclusive apartment-hotel, the magnificent building sat vacant! In 1935 the City decided to take the cruel step of forcing the then 75 year old Pellatt into bankruptcy for back taxes. The City staff was aware that a declaration of bankruptcy would cause Sir Henry to lose his knighthood – a title that was very precious to him. The City purchased the estate for a grossly undervalued $27,305. Once the action was completed, a previously scheduled bankruptcy hearing was suddenly and permanently adjourned. Pellatt was able to retain his title of Knight Bachelor but at the cost of his million dollar estate! It is now owned by the City of Toronto and operated by the Kiwanis Club of Casa Loma and remains today as a monument to this extraordinary Canadian.
After spending four hours touring the castle and grounds, we have to admit that it is probably one of the best tours we have been on. We’ve been to the Vanderbilt Mansion, Hearst Castle, a Plantation home and now Casa Loma. For the price, you can’t find a better tour with more information.
Though we were tired, we decided to also tour the Royal Ontario Museum which is Canada’s largest museum of world cultures and natural history. It also ranks as the fifth largest museum in North America and contains more than six million items and over 40 separate galleries. It is truly a one-stop sightseeing extravaganza where you can travel from one amazing exhibit to the next to learn about the world’s history and culture. Dinosaurs,
aquatic fossils, an ancient Egyptian mummy case, Greek and Roman Artifacts, Life in China, Korea, and Japan, and Canada’s First Peoples are just some of the options. Another four hours and we just were able to walk thru all the exhibits. It is easily a two day event if you truly wanted to delve into everything. The building’s latest addition is built in the shape of a crystal and provides a very picturesque façade for the museum. Once again, if you like museums, this is a must-see!We drug our worn-out bodies back to the subway – fortunately it wasn’t far from the museum – and rode home.
Tomorrow we will be heading out and arriving at Ottawa for another fun-packed three days. See you down the road!
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