Casa Loma, Gothic Revival house museum in midtown Toronto, Canada
Casa Loma is a large Gothic Revival residence in midtown Toronto, with nearly one hundred rooms connected by long hallways and staircases. The building includes several towers, a wine cellar, secret passageways, and extensive gardens that spread across the surrounding grounds.
A financier commissioned this residence at the beginning of the twentieth century, employing hundreds of workers over several years. Financial difficulties forced him to leave the house less than a decade after its completion.
The name Casa Loma means "house on the hill" and points to the elevated grounds where residents once attended garden parties and social events. Visitors today walk through rooms arranged as they might have appeared during formal gatherings, with furniture and decorations reflecting early twentieth-century taste.
The residence opens daily in the morning and closes in the late afternoon, with visitors able to secure entry online or on site. Ramps and elevators allow wheelchair users to reach most areas, though some towers require climbing stairs.
In the former stables beneath the main building, scientists worked during the second world war on developing underwater sound technology. Visitors today can walk through these rooms and see the environment where this secret research took place.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 60,000 contributors worldwide.
