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central bay.]] Rideau Hall is, since 1867, the official residence of the Governor General Of Canada , and has been, though more rarely, described as the official residence of the The Canadian Monarch ,Lanctot, Gustave; ''Royal Tour of King George VI and Queen Elizabeth in Canada and the United States of America 1939''; E.P. Taylor Foundation; 1964 who primarily resides at Buckingham Palace . It stands at One Sussex Drive , on an 0.36 km&2 (88 acre) estate, the main building consisting of 175 rooms in 9,500 m&2 (102,260 ft&2), with 24 outbuildings around the grounds. While in many countries the equivalent building has a prominent, central place in the national capital ( Buckingham Palace , the White House and the Royal Palace of the Netherlands are examples), Rideau Hall's site is relatively inobtrusive within Ottawa, giving it more of the character of a private home. Aimers, John; ''Monarchy Canada'': The Palace on the Rideau; April 1996 Most of Rideau Hall is used for state affairs, only 500 m&2 (5,380 ft&2) of it being private living quarters. Francois Leblanc: Conservation Architect: Restoration work at Rideau Hall, the Official Residence of the Governor General of Canada It is the principal workplace of the Governor General, and of the Governor General's staff. When differentiating between the Office of the Governor General and the residential functions of the building, Rideau Hall is sometimes formally termed " Government House ". It is used to officially receive foreign Heads Of State and both incoming and outgoing Ambassador s and High Commissioner s to Canada. Rideau Hall is also the place where many Canadian Awards are presented, where Canadian Prime Ministers and members of Cabinet are officially sworn in, and where federal Writs Of Election are dropped. The house is also open to tours throughout the year; approximately 200,000 visitors tour Rideau Hall annually. Governor General of Canada: Rideau Hall HISTORY MacKay villa The site of Rideau Hall and the original structure were chosen and built by stonemason Thomas MacKay, whom immigrated from Perth, Scotland to Montreal in 1817, and who later became the main contractor involved in the construction of the Rideau Canal . Following the completion of the Canal, MacKay built mills at Rideau Falls , making him the founder of New Edinburgh, which later became Ottawa . With his newly acquired wealth, MacKay built a stone Villa on a site overlooking both the Ottawa and Rideau Rivers , which became the root of the present day Rideau Hall.Hubbard; p. 3 Even before the building became a royal residence, the Hall received noted visitors, including Lord Sydenham , Lord Elgin , and Sir Edmund Head , all Governors General of the Province Of Canada . It was said that Lady Head's watercolours of Barrack Hill (now Parliament Hill ) influenced Queen Victoria to choose Ottawa as the national capital. The day following his laying the foundation stone of the Parliament Buildings, on September 1, 1860, the Prince Of Wales , later King Edward VII , drove through the grounds of Rideau Hall.Hubbard; p. 8-9 Vice-regal home In 1864, after Queen Victoria chose Ottawa in 1858 as the new capital of the Province Of Canada , Rideau Hall was leased from the MacKay family by the Crown, for $4000 per year, to serve as only a temporary home for the vice-regal until a proper government house could be constructed in Ottawa. The original villa was enlarged to three or four times its size to accommodate the new functions, and once complete, the first Governor General of Canada, Viscount Monck , took residence. The additions were opposed by George Brown , as he claimed "the Governor Genereal's residence is a miserable little house, and the grounds those of an ambitious country squire." Prime Minister John A. Macdonald agreed, complaining that more had been spent on patching up Rideau Hall than could have been used to construct a new royal palace. The building was eventually purchased outright in 1868, for the sum of $82,000. The house then became a social centre of Ottawa – even Canada – hosting foreign visitors – the first being Grand Duke Alexis , son of the Tsar , Alexander II – investiture ceremonies, swearing in ceremonies, balls, dinners, garden parties, children's parties, and theatre in the Rideau Hall ballroom, in which members of the household and vice-regal family would participate. Negative first opinions of Rideau Hall were a theme until the early part of the 20th century. Upon arrival at the house in 1872, , for the walls are thick, the rooms are Lath ed and Plaster ed (which they are not at Kensington) and there is an abundant supply of heat and light."Lorne to Duke of Argyle, 4 December, 1878; MacNutt, W. Stewart; ''Days of Lorne''; Fredricton, 1955; p. 242 By 1879 there were threats from Fenian s on the life of the Princess, and she was ushered back to the UK for both rest and protection. When she returned in 1880, with the Queen greatly concerned for her daughter's safety, it was necessary to post extra guards around the grounds of Rideau Hall.Hubbard; p. 57 Their Majesty's Canadian residence When King as Ambassador from the United States, a task ever previously performed by only the Governor General. Galbraith, William; ''Canadian Parliamentary Review'': Fiftieth Anniversary of the 1939 Royal Visit; Vol. 12, No. 3, 1989 After the outbreak of World War II , plans were made for the king and queen to reside in Canada. However, they were not to be established at Rideau Hall. The federal government, in 1940, purchased Hatley Castle , in Colwood, British Columbia , for use as a royal palace for King George VI and his family. Office of the Lieutenant Governor: Speech by Iona Campolo, Retired Heads of Mission Association's Gala Dinner, Royal Roads University, Hatley Castle, Victoria, BC, February 5, 2007 However, it was decided that the Royal Family leaving the UK at a time of war would be a major blow to morale, and they remained in Britain. During the War itself, the resident Governor General's wife, and Crown Princess Märtha of Norway, Grand Duchess Charlotte and Prince Felix of Luxembourg, King Peter of Yugoslavia, King George of Greece, Empress Zita Of Bourbon-Parma (Austria) and her daughters, as well as Queen Wilhelmina , Princess Juliana Of The Netherlands , Princess Beatrix Of The Netherlands , and Princess Margriet Of The Netherlands ; many of the royal ladies were put to work by Princess Alice, making clothing for Londoners who'd lost their homes in The Blitz .Hubbard; p. 201 It was in December of 1941 that Winston Churchill arrived at Rideau Hall, where he presided over British Cabinet meetings via telephone from his bed.Hubbard; p. 202 It was also in 1940 that, reflecting the viceroy's evolved role in government, the Governor General's office on Parliament Hill was closed and moved to Rideau Hall. A Visit to Rideau Hall: Teacher's Guide; p. 1 At the end of the war, the first peacetime ball was held for and her husband Prince Philip . While there the couple partook in a Square Dance in the ballroom (wearing Checked shirts). Churchill again returned to Rideau Hall in January, 1952, where he, sprawled on a sofa with a cigar in one hand and a brandy in the other, persuaded Alexander to join the British Cabinet.Hubbard; p. 218 With the death of George VI in 1952, the front of Rideau Hall was covered with black Bunting as a sign of mourning. It was following this event that the new queen, Elizabeth II , appointed the first Canadian-born vice-regal resident of her Canadian home, Vincent Massey . Canadian vice-regal residents John Kennedy (left) with Governor General Georges Vanier and Prime Minister Diefenbaker at Rideau Hall.]] Massey was the first single Governor General to occupy Rideau Hall, having been widowed two years before his installation; his daughter-in-law, Lilias, acted as Chatelaine of Rideau Hall. Massey spoke of Rideau Hall as "a piece of architecture that might be regarded as possessing a certain lovable eccentricity," in spite of "some of the most regrettable pieces of furniture I have ever seen."Massey, Vincent; ''Memoirs''; p. 462 The number of formal occasions at the royal residence increased as Canada's diplomatic corps increased and the country gained greater status on the world stage; visitors during Massey's tenure included Queen Juliana Of The Netherlands , President Dwight D. Eisenhower of the United States , Emperor Haile Selassie I Of Ethiopia , Jawaharlal Nehru , and the Presidents of Germany , Italy , and Indonesia . With the greater ease of travel, more members of Canada's Royal Family visited as well, including the Queen Mother , the Princess Royal , the Duchess Of Kent , Princess Margaret , the Duke of Edinburgh, and in 1957, the Queen herself was in residence.Hubbard; pp. 223-224 Rideau Hall also saw the Queen in residence and holding audience with an influx of 53 foreign heads of state during Expo 67 , held in Montreal , and Canada's centennial celebrations. With the rise of the Quebec Sovereignty Movement and the October Crisis of 1970, Rideau Hall was heavily guarded for a number of weeks.Hubbard; p. 241 The relatively free access to Rideau Hall and its grounds that was established in 1921, and previously enjoyed by tourists and local neighbours alike, ceased during '' reported in 1986 that the group wanted to boycott the Governor General's annual garden party because of what they called her "bunker mentality." Sauvé's successor, Ray Hnatyshyn , reopened the palace and gardens to the public. CBC Archives: Closing off Rideau Hall The Hall was designated as a classified heritage property by the Federal Heritage Buildings Review Office in 1986, giving it the highest heritage significance in Canada. NAME The name Rideau Hall was chosen by Thomas MacKay for his villa, drawing inspiration from the Rideau Canal which he has helped construct. The house was also known coloquially as "MacKay's Castle." Though once the house became the official residence of the Governor General it was termed formally as Government House , Rideau Hall stuck as the informal name. The existence of two names for the building led to some issue; in 1889 the Vice-regal Consort , Lady Stanley, The Countess of Derby, was rebuked by Queen Victoria for calling the house Rideau Hall; it was to be Government House, as in all other Empire capitals.Hubabrd; p. 67 Today, however, Rideau Hall is the commonly accepted term for the house, with Government House remaining only in use for very formal or legal affairs; for example, Royal Proclamation s will finish with the phrase: "At Our Government House, in Our City of Ottawa..." Canada Gazette: ''Proclamation Designating July 28 of Every Year as "A Day of Commemoration of the Great Upheaval", Commencing on July 28, 2005'' ARCHITECTURE The residence was built in 1838 to house Scottish stone mason and contractor Thomas McKay and his family, who occupied it until 1855 . The architecture of the home is generally in Victorian and Edwardian styles. The original 1838 structure was relatively small; two stories with a full-height, central, curved bay, with an accordingly curved , in 1818.Hubbard; p. 5 Unlike today, the rooms for entertaining, sleeping and service areas were dispersed throughout the two floors of the villa. The main parlour was on the second level, in an oval room located within the curved, south bay. Initially rented and seen as a temporary accommodation, the house has since been expanded numerous times. Lantern . During Lord Dufferin 's tenure the indoor Tennis court and ballroom were added to the western end of the house in 1872, to the north and south of the main entrance. When Lord Minto arrived with his large family and household, the Minto Wing was constructed in 1899 on the east end of Rideau Hall, though it was again intended to only be a temporary measure until a proper Government House could be built.Hubbard; p. 96 Minto's successor, Lord Grey , added the Governor General's study to the far east end of the Monck wing, symmetrically balancing out the curved bay and pediment of the MacKay villa to the west. One of the greatest alterations to the form of Rideau Hall came in 1913 , seeing the construction of the present main facade, including the block linking the Ballroom and Tent Room, and a re-facing of the two latter structures to harmonise their windows, Cornice heights and materials in a "adapted Florentine Architectural Style "Hubbard; p. 135 built from Limestone Ashlar , and designed by David Ewart , chief Dominion architect. Within this was a white Marble and red carpeted reception hall, an upstairs were offices, a telephone exchange, and rooms for the Aides-de-Camp . This addition also included a Porte-cochere for formal arrivals and entrances; it was later fitted with permanent Fanlights , under which glass doors are installed during the winter to provide an enclosed space in which to exit cars. The Long Gallery was added to the east of the Tent Room, and the main Dining Room was enlarged. The projects were completed by the following year. The Pediment bears the shield, supporters and crown of the Royal Coat Of Arms , and is believed to be one of the largest in the Commonwealth . National Capital Commission: Rehabilitation Work at Rideau Hall - Front Façade of the Mappin Wing Over the summer of 2007 the main facade of Rideau Hall underwent a major renovation by the National Capital Commission . ART AND DECORATION Rideau Hall has long been a collection point of Canadian art and furnishings. As early as the first vice-regal inhabitants, the hall has held pieces by prominent Canadian cabinet makers, such as Jaques & Hay of Toronto , James Thompson of Montreal, and William Drum of Quebec .Hubbard; p. 12 Originally, decoration was heavily Victorian , with many Rococo influences. Renovations, however, have turned the interiors into predominantly Georgian spaces.Hubbard, R.H.; ''Rideau Hall''; McGill-Queen’s University Press; Montreal and London; 1977 Until the 1960s, the contents and colours of the house changed with each successive vice-regal family; the vice-regal consort typically seeing as her duty to update Rideau Hall to suit her tastes. As there were very few paintings in the permanent collection, the National Gallery would provide works on loan; a relationship that continues into the present. with Order Of Canada recipients, beneath the state portrait of Queen Victoria in the Tent Room of Rideau Hall.]] .]] Today the rooms are furnished both with elements from the history of the residence as well as art and artifacts that showcase contemporary Canadian culture, including pieces by the Group Of Seven 's Lawren Harris , Emily Carr , Jean Paul Lemieux , and Bill Reid . The Long Gallery's Oriental decoration was re-established at the direction of Vice-regal Consort Gerda Hnatyshynin 1993, putting back much of the furniture and artifacts that Lady Willingdon placed in the room in 1926, after her tour of China , including five carpets given by the Hong Kong Bank of Canada. The space, which now contains Glenn Gould 's Steinway Baby Grand Piano ,MacMillan, Margaret; Harris, Majorie; Desjardins, Anne L.; ''Canada's House''; Alfred A. Knopf Canada; 2004 is today used to greet and host functions for Ambassador s and High Commissioner s to Canada. Another of the Consorts, Princess Louise , painted apple branches on a 6-panel Georgian door in the first-floor corridor; they remain there today. Nora Michener, wife of Governor General Roland Michener , donated a collection of Inuit sculpture. Since Vincent Massey's time as Governor General, the vice-regal has worked closely with the Department Of Public Works And Government Services in repairing and refubishing Rideau Hall; the department now provides a more systematic approach to the maintenance of the palace, with a full-time building manager. The National Capital Commission is charged with the decoration of the rooms; since 2004 the Commission has undertaken a project to restore many of the salons and other state rooms to the period in which they were first built. Centre block The only remaining part of the original MacKay villa is the Reception Room on the ground floor, and the Royal Suite above. Portraits of the Canadian Governors General (beginning with Vincent Massey ) are hung in the former, where small ceremonies take place. The latter is an oval room that was once the drawing room of the original MacKay villa, and was subsequently used as a ballroom, studio, and study, before becoming the Queen's bedroom. Flanking the Reception Room are the Tent Room, hung with portraits of the British Governors General, and whose modern design is drawn from the original decor of striped fabric draped on the walls and hung in swaths from the ceiling in order to temporarily transform the tennis court into a dining hall, and the Ballroom, which is the centre of state life at Rideau Hall. It's in the latter space that honours and awards ceremonies take place, members of the Cabinet are sworn in, ambassadors present their diplomatic credentials, and state dinners are held. Dominating the Ballroom is a Waterford Chandelier , presented by the British Government , on Victoria Day in 1951, in gratitude for Canada's role in World War II . The sterling silver sets on display in the Dining Room are on loan from Buckingham Palace . In an alcove, stained glass windows celebrate the excellence of Canadian performing artists and the establishment of the Governor General's Performing Arts Awards. Governor General of Canada: Rideau Hall: The Ballroom In the entrance hall is the Royal Window; a Stained Glass piece commemorating the 40th anniversary of Elizabeth II's accession to the Throne, displaying the Royal Arms Of Canada at the centre, surrounded by the heraldic shields of the Provinces And Territories . The window to the right of the front door commemorates the 40th anniversary of the first appointment of a Canadian as Governor General; the position is symbolised by the crowned lion holding a maple leaf, surrounded by the shields of the first seven Canadians to hold the post. Governor General of Canada: Rideau Hall: The Entrance Hall: Symbols in Glass Monck Wing In the Monck Wing, built in 1865-66, are the vice-regal suite, guest bedrooms, and various other drawing rooms and dining rooms generally for non-state affairs. The Pauline Vanier Room, a small sitting room where informal meetings are held with visiting out of an old Aide-de-camp Smoking Room , the room originally had Pine paneling and antique Quebec furnishings,Hubbard, p. 230 it was later redone to remove the Tongue And Groove planks, which were said to be reminiscent of suburban basement paneling popular in the 1970s . The Large Drawing Room is a space for formal gatherings of guests both before and after state events, and to entertain visiting heads of state and their party. Previously the Red Salon, the room underwent thorough renovations in 1901, updating it to the Edwardian Style . The portraits in the Drawing Room depict the vice-regal consorts of previous Governors General. Governor General of Canada: Rideau Hall: The Large Drawing Room Formal meals are held in the Large Dining Room; sometimes state dinners for visiting heads of state of smaller nations are held there. The dining table seats up to 42 people. as with the Large Drawing Room, the dining room was renovated in 1909 to a similar Edwardian look; its present day form was implemented in the late 1940s, after various renovations altered the room's layout. Governor General of Canada: Rideau Hall: Large Dining Room On the upper floor, each bedroom is named for a former British governor; the descendants of these men were approached in the 1990s with a request for donations of historical memorabilia. The Devonshires, relations of the Duke Of Devonshire , presented a Regency mirror used at Chatsworth House . There is also a Chapel , installed during the Michener period, which was made Ecumenical and opened for both Anglican and Roman Catholic services in the presence of Queen Elizabeth II on July 2, 1967.Hubbard; p. 242 The Governor General's study contains a complete collection of Governor General's Literary Award winning works. Prior to 2005, the library was lacking more than 25% of the winning books. At the instigation of Governor General Adrienne Clarkson , the remainder were sought out. Today it forms the only complete collection of Governor General's Literary Award winners in existence. Art Rideau Hall has always been a home for a collection of artwork, though originally many of the pieces were the personal property of the incumbent Governor General. Into the 20th century, however, more and more "official" works were received, either as gifts or bought to augment the collection. In 1946 Sir James Dunn presented the Hall with two paintings by Johann Zoffany . During the tenure of Governor General Michaëlle Jean , Rideau Hall featured the exhibition "Body and Land", featuring select Silkscreen prints from the artist's book '' The Journals Of Susanna Moodie '' by author Margaret Atwood and artist Charles Pachter. The collection of furnishing, art and artefacts at Rideau Hall is comprised of private gifts from the Canadiana Fund (a foundation created by the Government Of Canada ), and from the Friends of Rideau Hall. Governor General of Canada: Rideau Hall: Long Gallery Paintings are also provided from the Royal Collection. GROUNDS of the Governor General's Foot Guards .]] Rideau Hall's 0.36 km&2 (88 acre) property, surrounded by a 2,500 meter (7,700 ft) Rink , a skating pond, Toboggan runs, tennis courts, and the like. Many of the guests at Rideau Hall would partake in these outdoor activities, including Prime Ministers Mackenzie King and Robert Borden who would often skate on the iced over pond with the Vice-regal Family. Of the tobogganing, Lieutenant William Galwey, a member of the survey team that laid out the Canada/US border along the 49th Parallel , and which visited Rideau Hall in November, 1871, said: "It is a most favourite amusement at Government House. Ladies go in for it. I think they like rolling over and over with the gentlemen."Parsons; ''49th Parallel''; p. 130-31 The grounds have always contained vegetable and herb gardens, from which plants, fruits and edible flowers are used in the palace kitchens, and flower garden provide flowers for the Hall and the other government buildings in Ottawa. During the early spring months, the Maple s throughout the property are tapped for Syrup making. The grounds of Rideau Hall have been open to the public since 1921, when Lord Byng 's Aide-de-camp resolved to open Government House to "all who had a right to be there,"Willis-O'Connor, H., Macbeth, Madge; ''Inside Government House''; Toronto, 1954; p. 15 a move that outraged the traditionalists. Under the tenure of Governor General Jeanne Sauvé the grounds of Rideau Hall were closed to the public. However, following her, Ray Hnatyshyn reversed this decision. Today an expanded visitors' centre has been established to facilitate tours. Each year the Governor General holds a New Year's Levee that welcomes guests from the public to attend and participate in skating, sledding, and refreshments. The event traces its roots back to the French royal government. The grounds were transformed throughout the decades along with the house: Lady Byng created the existent , Diana, Princess Of Wales , Prince Charles , King George VI , and numerous by Queen Elizabeth II . Foreign dignitaries who have planted trees include John F. Kennedy , Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis , Richard Nixon , Bill Clinton , Kofi Annan , Boris Yeltsin , Vladimir Putin , and Vicente Fox , to name a few. The grounds of Rideau Hall also contain many statues, emblems and other artifacts for the public to enjoy, including a Totem Pole (a gift to Lord Alexander) by Kwakiutl carver Mungo Martin , and a stone Inukshuk by artist Kananginak Pootoogook, from Cape Dorset, Nunavut , on Baffin Island . Governor General of Canada: Rideau Hall: Gardens and Grounds The grounds also host the Rideau Hall Cricket Association and Ottawa Valley Cricket Council, which continues the tradition of Cricket being played in the royal residence's gardens, beginning when the Cricket Pitch was laid out by Lord Monck in 1866 . Matches continue to be played at the Hall during summer weekends. Governor General of Canada: Rideau Hall Cricket Association OTHER CANADIAN OFFICIAL RESIDENCES
SEE ALSO
EXTERNAL LINKS
Panoramas The Governor General's website maintains QuickTime Panorama s of a number of Rideau Hall's rooms, though these are no longer directly available through the site.
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