The Toronto region, of course, is not limited to these seven attractions. There is a lot to do for the curious traveler. However, below we present you the most impressive and striking architectural sights of Toronto that are worth seeing first of all – Casa Loma, Art Gallery of Ontario, Allan Botanical Gardens, City Hall, University of Toronto and many others. In this kind of virtual tour you can not only see photos and read about each site, but also fly over them and see what Toronto’s architectural ensemble looks like in 3D from a bird’s eye view.
Casa Loma
Casa Loma is a grandiose castle house, translated as “house on the hill,” which belonged to Henry Pellat, a rich, noble citizen. He began construction in 1911 with architect Lennox.
But beforehand, they traveled to Europe to see castles, taking the ones they liked. As a result of construction, the private house became a palace. Three and a half million dollars were spent on the construction and the same amount was spent on the interior decoration.
The castle furnished 98 rooms, a heated winter garden, a two-story organ, an extensive library, and 50 telephones were installed in the rooms, for the fact that there were about 200 in the entire city at the time. There were a series of underground passages and secret passages.
After living in the castle for 10 years, the owners were forced to sell their dream because of the huge taxes.
Until 1936 the castle was not used. There was even a proposal to tear it down.
In 1937, the Kiwanis Club offered to equip it for tourists. Now ceremonies and wedding ceremonies are held on the first floor. The upper floors house museum exhibits.
Art Gallery of Ontario
The Art Gallery of Ontario is the largest museum, collecting a huge number of art artifacts in its halls – 80,000. The gallery features sculpture, paintings, photographs, installations, and books.
The historical period of time, covering the exhibits on display, starts from the 1st century AD to the present. The gallery’s collection began to be assembled in 1900.
The main collection is divided into three parts: European paintings, art by Canadian artists and sculptures by Henry Moore. European artists are represented by the names of Rembrandt, Van Gogh, Claude Monet, Edgar Degas, Chagall and Picasso.
The sculpture exhibition was designed by Henry Moore himself in 1974. He is spoken of as an enigmatic, inscrutable sculptor of the 20th century.
In 2008, a major renovation of the gallery was carried out, during which the halls were completed in the modernist style by architect F. Gary. He is world-renowned for his projects-the Dancing House in Prague, the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao, and the Museum of Music in Seattle. The number of rooms has since doubled.
The gallery houses the largest library in Canada.
Allan Botanical Gardens
Allan Botanic Garden covers an area of 1,500 square meters. It was opened in 1860 by the future King Edward VII.
In 1879 the first glazed pavilion was built. It was used as a cultural center, where musical evenings and performances of famous people took place. In 1882 Oscar Wilde gave a lecture here.
The garden was given the new name “Allan Gardens” in 1901 after the death of George Allan, Toronto’s mayor and former senator.
The botanical garden has five winter pavilions with plants from different countries and continents. The park is home to squirrels of various breeds and a huge flock of pigeons.
There are even individual beds, raised above the ground, so that people in wheelchairs can take care of and harvest crops grown with their hands. Garden workers organize lectures for blind, dumb and deaf people on gardening.
Almost every month the garden holds grandiose holiday shows with rides, horseback rides, and treats.
City Hall
Forty-two countries submitted bids to the international architectural competition to transform City Hall in Toronto. The winning design was by a Finnish architect. The new structure opened in 1965.
Two twin towers of rectangular shape and different heights appeared on the square. One was 27 stories (almost a hundred meters high), the other 20 stories (about 80 meters high). Glass and ribbed concrete were used for the design of the facade. That allowed to be protected from strong winds.
The towers have the form of concave panels. They seem to “hug” the third building in the complex – the round town hall.
The futuristic skyscrapers are connected on an elevated central building in the form of a white disc resembling a UFO structure. The entrances to it are located below. Any visitor can safely pass inside.
From above the low building looks like a pupil surrounded by eyelids. City Hall is popularly known as “the eye of government.” It is where city council meetings are held. The complex looks especially spectacular at night in the light of spotlights.
In front of the City Hall there is a square with a fountain. The improvised stage often hosts concerts and public events. In winter, the area turns into a city skating rink.
University of Toronto
The University of Toronto became a public institution in 1850, before it was called King’s College and overseen by the Church of England.
The University combines within its walls 12 colleges, which teach students in 14 faculties.
The library of the University occupies a ten-story building. The central building of the University is considered a monument of architecture.
There are branches of campuses in several districts of the city. University students have the opportunity to actively participate in a variety of sports.
The educational institution has very high ratings. It is considered the best university in Canada, the most innovative university, and its graduates’ employment rates are higher than other universities.
St. James Cathedral
The construction of St. James Cathedral began in the second half of the 19th century. In 1853 the doors of the cathedral opened to the congregation.
It was the highest building. The spire of the Gothic cathedral is set on the bell tower. For a long time it served as a landmark for ships entering the city harbor.
Another purpose of the structure is to symbolize the desire to ascend upward, to God. The temple structure bears the features of the Neo-Gothic architecture of the period.
Elements of the cathedral include a clock tower and steeple, transepts and lapels. The altar is decorated with black walnut panels. The cathedral has a long aisle in the interior.
The main part is occupied by pews, which can be approached from either side. Stained glass windows, pointed arches, and high ceilings allow natural sunlight to enter freely.
St. James Cathedral is the first Anglican church in Toronto. It was rebuilt on the foundations of a burnt-out church. The temple edifice was continually added to, expanded, and supplemented with new decorative inserts.
St. James Cathedral became the seat of the diocese of Toronto. The ashes of the first Anglican bishop are buried in the interior under the altar.
Air Canada Centre
The Air Canada Centre is an indoor playground. It is used by players of the Canadian hockey team, basketball players and athletes from Toronto.
It is financed by Air Canada. Hence the second name – ACC, or Hangar. The area is 62 thousand square meters. In the world ranking it is the 11th in operation, can accommodate up to 20 thousand fans.
February 1999 – commissioning of the multifunctional center. Almost three hundred million Canadian dollars are invested in the construction. World and pre-match shows are held at the arena.
For 19 years, the sports center was called the Air Canada Center. On July 1, 2018, the venue was renamed Scotiabank Arena. The company bought the naming rights for 20 years for C$800 million.
Outside, you can follow what’s going on in the arena via a large screen if there aren’t enough seats in the sports arena. An interactive area has been deployed near the first entrance to the Air Center.
Here you can buy photos with paintings of famous players and souvenirs. The stadium is the most sought-after venue not only in Canada, but worldwide in terms of the volume of events offered, ranking in the top 5 for speakers and spectators. This includes the convenience of the location, the comfort of the indoor facilities, and the quality of the sound.