Architectural, Cultural sights in Toronto
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A
Osgoode Hall
Built in phases through the Victorian era, this august classic (named after Ontario's first Chief Justice) became a showcase for elite colonials, many of whom were lawyers. Inside a grand staircase rises from a gorgeous tiled atrium to the Ontario Court of Appeal and the Great Library, with miles of books, twisting stairways and 12m-high vaulted ceilings. The peculiar wrought-iron 'cow gates' out front were put up to keep out wandering bovines, a common problem in the 1860s. Free tours are conducted by law students.
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Gibson House
Scottish immigrant David Gibson, a successful surveyor and politician, built this refined Georgian-style house in 1851 after his return from an 11-year exile in the USA, the unfortunate result of his role in the Upper Canada Rebellion of 1837. Costumed workers run house tours between 11am and 3pm, as well as occasional weekend hearth cooking demonstrations. Gibson House is north of Sheppard Ave, next to a small park. If you're driving, limited parking is accessible via a small laneway off southbound Yonge St.
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B
Guild Inn
A 15-minute drive east of the Scarborough Bluffs is the quirky Guild Inn, an Arts & Crafts?style mansion dating from 1914 set among quiet lakefront parklands. An artists' colony formed here during the Depression; the garden contains a collection of sculptures, Ionic columns and gargoyles rescued from condemned city buildings during the '50s. Plans are afoot to build a $56 million hotel here, so don't be surprised if it's off limits. Call or check the website to avoid disappointment.
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C
Campbell House
This formal Georgian mansion dating from 1822 was one of the city's first brick buildings, belonging to Chief Justice William Campbell. It's been beautifully refurbished in 19th-century style by the Advocates' Society, which uses the premises as its clubhouse. Tours are run by friendly costumed guides. In 1972 the whole house was shifted here from its original location on Adelaide St, 1.5km away – a slow six-hour voyage.
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D
Montgomery's Inn
Montgomery's Inn was built in 1832 by an Irish military captain of the same name, and its gracious stone symmetry is a fine example of Loyalist architecture, restored to its late-1840s heyday. It was a hotel for 25 years then a farm until the 1940s. Staff in period dress answer questions and serve afternoon tea. Contemporary and traditional art exhibits, cooking classes and wine-and-cheese tastings are often hosted here.
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E
Firehall No 10
Yorkville's historic 19th-century fire hall (1876) is still putting out fires. Beneath its impressive turret, a coat-of-arms relocated from the old town hall depicts the occupations of elected councilors: brewer, brick-maker, carpenter, blacksmith and butcher, united under a Canadian beaver. It's not open to the public, but the firemen don't mind if you stare at them from the street.
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F
Toronto Heliconian Club
Nudged between art galleries and salons on Hazelton Ave, the former Olivet Congregational Church (1875) is constructed in 'Carpenter Gothic' style – boards, battens and intricate trim with a carved rose window and wooden spire. The hall was taken over in 1923 by the Heliconian Club, an association for women in the arts that hosts exhibitions, book launches and arts functions.
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G
Roy Thomson Hall
Looking like an inverted ballerina's tutu, this concert hall's controversial design has been called neo-expressionist, deconstructionist, and a whole lot of other rude words we can't repeat here. Inside it's another story, the superb acoustics more than good enough for the Toronto Symphony Orchestra and touring acts like Ladysmith Black Mambazo and Ravi Shankar.
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H
Enoch Turner Schoolhouse
Dating from 1848, this restored one-room classroom is where local kids are shown what the good ol' days were like. Wealthy brewer Enoch Turner opened it as Toronto's first free school so poor children could learn the three Rs. Gothic church-style windows emphasize the seriousness of it all. Visitors are only allowed inside when school tours aren't scheduled.
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