![]() ![]() The actors portray the real life Toronto gangster Rocco Perri’s wife and crew. The theme is 1920’s gangsters and speakeasies. I have played King of the Bootleggers twice, and both times had a fantastic and unique experience. There are live actors who play along with the theme, and each “escape room” is actually a series of rooms you need to solve. These escape rooms are fantastic! They are the most immersive and interactive rooms I’ve ever participated in. There are three separate escape rooms that are hosted after hours in the castle: Escape from the Tower, Station M, and King of the Bootleggers. In addition to Casa Loma being a popular tourist attraction and museum, it has become famous for it’s escape rooms. ![]() The most famous Canadian example of Gothic Revival is Notre-Dame Basilica in Montreal, but this movement can be found all over the country. By the end of the 1800’s London was the epicenter of this movement, the most famous examples being the Tower Bridge, Palace of Westminster and Strawberry Hill.Īs North America often copies the trend of the UK, Gothic Revival was a big influence in Canadian Architecture as well. Unlike original Gothic architecture, which was primarily used for religious cathedrals, the revival could be applied to all building types. This was partially brought on by the public's renewed obsession with medieval themed literature - so this nostalgic movement made a comeback! Culture has always influenced art and architecture. ![]() Gothic architecture made a comeback in the UK in the late 1700’s. It is one of the only true castles in North America. ![]() (Such as Old Toronto City Hall, Bank of Toronto, Toronto Power Generating Station and King Edward Hotel and more.)Ĭasa Loma a Gothic Revival style mansion and garden. Lennox was the brainchild for dozens of other Ontario buildings in the late 1800’s and 1900s. In addition to designing Casa Loma, architect E.J. Also, if you’re looking for a swanky restaurant for a fancy occasion, the two restaurants on site are really lovely options. They are beautiful! You can even move through the old secret passageways. If you haven’t, I highly recommend taking a self-guided tour of the castle and grounds. Casa Loma’s unique architectural style has attracted the public and has become a popular location for tourist trips, filming locations, restaurants, escape rooms and wedding ceremonies. Today, this midtown Toronto neighbourhood is actually named after the castle. Although many proposals were made for the use of the property - including a high school, an art gallery, a home for veterans or even just knocking it down - by 1937 it became a tourist attraction and has stayed that way since. By the Great Depression, Casa Loma was vacant again.ĭue to back taxes owed, in 1933, the City of Toronto took ownership of Casa Loma. A New York syndicate offered to purchase the hotel in 1928, but the deal fell through when the hotel failed in 1929. Sparling had completed some of the rooms Pellatt hadn't finished including the Great Hall and Billiards room. It was fully functioning between 1926-1929. In 1925, architect William Sparling led the project to convert Casa Loma into a hotel. By 1924, the Pellatt’s had gone bankrupt. But when political decisions allowed for public ownership of electricity, the money ran out. Their one source of income came from the family’s privately owned company which had a monopoly on electrical power. To finance the expansion, Pellatt had taken out loans on the family electric company, and became severely in debt. But Casa Loma couldn’t be the Toronto Camelot forever. They were constantly throwing parties and hosting philanthropic events on their grounds. Today, Casa Loma remains one of the only true castles in North America. It was an homage to the medieval knights and castles of England, containing priceless artwork and secret passageways. At the time, Casa Loma was the most extravagant private home in North America. It cost $3.5 million, which would be almost $80 million in today's Canadian dollar. Lennox, and constructed between 1911-1914. ![]()
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