Brianna HarrisonWhy is Casa Loma famous?
Considered the only true castle in North America, Casa Loma bears the royal status of an architectural gem. Beyond this, it is also an icon of history characterized by mystery, a bit of drama, and the downfall of a 19th-century millionaire.
Every year, the castle draws in about 400,000 tourists around the world, making it a total tourist magnet in Toronto? But why is it so famous and why should you care anyway? Well, let’s find out.
The History of Casa Loma: Fast Facts and Highlights
Nestled on the crest of Davenport Hill, Casa Loma started as an ambitious endeavor of Sir Henry Mill Pellat. He was a soldier, financier, and the chairman of 21 companies thanks to his business that introduced electricity in Toronto.
Here’s are some fun history highlights and facts that established the castle’s fame:
Casa Loma is famous for its enduring history that reminds Torontonians of two things: one, fortune can turn to dust when used without caution; and two, if you do something ahead of its time, you’ll be remembered in history.
- Ask your financial planner if it’s wise to invest $412 million on your residential home… because that’s exactly how much was spent on Casa Loma back in 1911 (around $3.5 million then)!
- It took 300 men to build the castle and three years to complete until 1914. We bet no modern-day contractor will be able to beat that.
- Have you ever taken the time to count how many units are in your apartment? Casa Loma has 98 rooms, for comparison, and it’s not even a rental complex!
- They say going to college is the best source of knowledge. But Casa Loma’s 10,000-book library begs to disagree – plus, these are among the pieces that weren’t sold when Sir Henry Mill Pellat went bankrupt.
- The castle is practically an art gallery thanks to some of the decorations in it. There are sculpted figures and enormous chandeliers that you wouldn’t believe in here.
- One of the 30 bathrooms in Casa Loma has six showerheads for a full-body spray. We can already imagine the nightmare plumbers go through just to fix a single problem.
- When you look at your windows and doors, does it spark joy? If you feel dissatisfied, looking at the myriad of bronze doors at the castle might be the inspiration you need for a renovation, because they’re widely admired.
- There’s an abandoned swimming pool in Casa Loma that is now filled with gravestones. You might want to get flowers to pay respects to those who passed (we’re kidding though).
- If you think you have impenetrable security around your property, wait until you hear about the castle’s secret passageways and doors. It’s like a maze within a castle.
- One of the items Pellat sold during his bankruptcy was a beautiful pipe organ purchased at $75,000. If you’ve had piano lessons before, you’ll know that the sound of the instrument is divine and absolutely priceless.
