Let's discover the mysterious Casa Loma castle

In 1903, a young couple visited a small plot of land on the outskirts of Toronto. The land overlooked the city from a hill called Davenport Hill. Enchanted, the couple bought the property and decided to build their dream home.

In 1905, architect Edward James Lennox was chosen to build Casa Loma. His brief was to create an imposing castle with classical and medieval influences that was both practical and modern. The architect travelled to Europe and returned with sketches of the future building.

Work began in 1909, interrupted by the absence of the owners. It took 3 years, 299 workers and 3.5 million Canadian dollars to build Casa Loma.

It has 98 rooms, including 30 bathrooms, 25 fireplaces, 5,000 light bulbs, 59 telephones and a 244-metre-long underground tunnel.

Casa Loma's library can hold 100,000 volumes and its wine cellar 1,568 bottles...

Casa Loma de Toronto is a monument of incredible architecture.

Until 1915, the annexes, surrounding wall and gardens were still being created. Unfortunately, building and maintaining the house proved to be a bottomless pit for the couple.

After several changes of ownership, the City of Toronto finally inherited Casa Loma. It decided to give it a new vocation by opening it to the public. In 2013, the city signed a lease with Liberty Entertainment Group. They are renovating the premises and continuing to open it to the public. In addition, a steak house has opened in one of Casa Loma's lounges.

Architect Edward James Lennox designed the residence in a daring blend of style and architecture. He fused Norman, Gothic Revival, Scottish Baronial and Late Romanesque styles to create an eccentric, imposing and charismatic building.

The architect described his work as "French Baronial", a term he invented from scratch.

Casa Loma has been used as a set for many films, including "Scott Pilgrim vs. The World", "X-Men", "Chicago" and "Crimson Peak".

Challenge yourself in the castle escape game

If you're a fan of escape games and other role-playing games, you'll love playing in this fantastic setting alongside real actors. Save the dragons, track down Detective Murdoch or become Toronto's most powerful new gangster!

Casa Loma offers a wide range of escape games that change with the seasons. Games generally last 1 hour and can accommodate up to 15 players. Find the games that interest you directly on theCasa Loma website. Want more? Discover haunted houses, terrifying games and well-kept secrets on the Secret City website.

Want to be scared? Guided haunted tours of the city of Toronto await you in our article: the best guided tours of Toronto.

Panoramic view of Toronto from the castle tower

From the top of the Norman tower, you can admire a magnificent view of the city of Toronto. It's a sumptuous spot from which to watch the sun set.