Rideau Hall
Main façade of Government House
Building information
Town	1 Sussex Dr. Ottawa, Ontario
Country	Canada
Coordinates	45°26′38″N 75°41′08″W / 45.443753, -75.685641Coordinates: 45°26′38″N 75°41′08″W / 45.443753, -75.685641
Architect	Thomas MacKay, David Ewart
Client	Thomas MacKay, The Crown in Right of Canada (Victoria, Edward VII, George V)
Construction start date	1838
Cost	$82,000
Owner	The Queen in Right of Canada (Elizabeth II)
Style	Regency, Norman Revival, Florentine Renaissance Revival
Size	9,500 m² (102,000 ft²)

Rideau Hall is, since 1867, the official residence of the Governor General of Canada, and thus also the official residence of the Canadian monarch,^[1][2][3] who primarily resides at Buckingham Palace. Sussex Drive is a major street in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. It runs roughly parallel to the Ottawa River. Ottawa (ˈɒtəwə or sometimes /ˈɒtəwɑː/ is the Capital of Canada and the country's fourth largest municipality. Ontario (ɒnˈtɛrioʊ is a province located in the central part of Canada, the largest by population and second largest after Quebec Country to "Dominion of Canada" or "Canadian Federation" or anything else please read the Talk Page A geographic coordinate system enables every location on the Earth to be specified in three coordinates using mainly a spherical coordinate system. A geographic coordinate system enables every location on the Earth to be specified in three coordinates using mainly a spherical coordinate system. David Ewart was a Canadian Architect who served as Chief Dominion Architect from 1896 to 1914 TalkCommonewalth realm.-->The monarchy of Victoria (Alexandrina Victoria 24 May 1819 – 22 January 1901 was from 20 June 1837 the Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland Year 1838 ( MDCCCXXXVIII) was a Common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian Calendar (or a Common TalkCommonewalth realm.-->The monarchy of For the ship see RMS Queen Elizabeth 2 Elizabeth II (Elizabeth Alexandra Mary Context States headed by Elizabeth II The Regency style of Architecture refers primarily to buildings built in Britain during the period in the early 19th century when George IV was For other buildings in Normandy see Architecture of Normandy. Renaissance architecture is the architecture of the period between the early 15th and early 17th centuries in different regions of Europe in which there was a Year 1867 ( MDCCCLXVII) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common year starting An official residence is the residence at which Heads of state, Heads of government, gubernatorial or other senior figures officially The Governor General of Canada ( French: Gouverneure générale du Canada, or: Gouverneur général du Canada) is the vice-regal representative TalkCommonewalth realm.-->The monarchy of Buckingham Palace is the official London residence of the British monarch. It stands at One Sussex Drive in Ottawa, on an 0. Sussex Drive is a major street in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. It runs roughly parallel to the Ottawa River. Ottawa (ˈɒtəwə or sometimes /ˈɒtəwɑː/ is the Capital of Canada and the country's fourth largest municipality. 36 km² (88 acre) estate, the main building consisting of 175 rooms in 9,500 m² (102,000 ft²), 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 unobtrusive within Ottawa, giving it more of the character of a private home. Buckingham Palace is the official London residence of the British monarch. See also Executive Office of the President of the United States The White House, formerly known as the Executive Mansion, is the Official residence The Royal Palace in Amsterdam ( Koninklijk Paleis te Amsterdam in Dutch) is one of three palaces in the Netherlands which is at the disposal ^[3]

Most of Rideau Hall is used for state affairs, only 500 m² (5,400 ft²) of it being private living quarters. ^[4] 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. Government House is the name given to some of the residences of Governors-General, Governors and Lieutenant-Governors in the Commonwealth and the It is used to officially receive foreign heads of state and both incoming and outgoing ambassadors and high commissioners to Canada. Head of state is the generic term for the individual or collective office that serves as the chief public representative of a Monarchic or Republican Nation-state An ambassador is the highest ranking Diplomat who represents their country High Commissioner is the title of various high-ranking special executive positions held by a commission of appointment 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 Canadian honours system has developed as a unique entity since the centennial of Canadian Confederation in 1967 when the first distinctly Canadian honour the The Prime Minister of Canada ( French: Premier ministre du Canada) is the primary Minister of the Crown, chairman of the Cabinet, and thus The Cabinet of Canada (Cabinet du Canada plays an important role in the Government of Canada, in accordance with the Westminster System. A writ of election is a Writ issued by the Government ordering the holding of a special Election for a governmental Office. The house is also open to tours throughout the year; approximately 200,000 visitors tour Rideau Hall annually. ^[5]

History

MacKay villa

Floor plan of the original MacKay villa superimposed over the present day footprint of Rideau Hall.

Floor plan of the main level of Rideau Hall, showing the various accretions onto the original MacKay villa.

Princes Edward and George outside Rideau Hall's main door, August, 1927. The Prince George Duke of Kent (George Edward Alexander Edmund 20 December 1902 - 25 August 1942) was a member of the British Royal Family

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. Perth (Peairt is a town and former Royal burgh in central Scotland. Montreal, or Montréal in French ( pronounced in French, in English) is the largest city in the Canadian province of Quebec The Rideau Canal, also known as the Rideau Waterway, connects the city of Ottawa Ontario, Canada on the Ottawa River to the city of Kingston Following the completion of the Canal, MacKay built mills at Rideau Falls, making him the founder of New Edinburgh, which later became Ottawa. The Rideau Falls is a Waterfall located in Ottawa, Canada where the Rideau River empties into the Ottawa River. Ottawa (ˈɒtəwə or sometimes /ˈɒtəwɑː/ is the Capital of Canada and the country's fourth largest municipality. 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. A villa was originally an Upper-class Country house, though since its origins in Roman times the idea and function of a villa has evolved considerably This is about the river in Canada For other uses see Ottawa River (disambiguation. The Rideau River is a Canadian River which flows north from Upper Rideau Lake and empties into the Ottawa River at Rideau Falls ^[6]

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. Charles Poulett Thomson 1st Baron Sydenham PC ( Waverley Abbey September 13, 1799 &ndash September 19, 1841 Kingston James Bruce 8th Earl of Elgin and 12th Earl of Kincardine, KT, GCB, PC ( 20 July 1811 &ndash 20 November 1863 Sir Edmund Walker Head 8th Baronet, KCB (Wiarton Place near Maidstone February 16, 1805 &ndash January 28, 1868 The Province of Canada or the United Province of Canada was a British colony in North America from 1841 to 1867 It was said that Lady Head's watercolours of Barrack Hill (now Parliament Hill) influenced Queen Victoria to choose Ottawa as the national capital. Parliament Hill (colloquially The Hill, French Colline du Parlement) is a scenic location on the southern banks of the Ottawa River in downtown 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. Prince of Wales (Tywysog Cymru is a title traditionally granted to the Heir Apparent to the reigning monarch of the United Kingdom (and formerly the Kingdom ^[7]

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. Victoria (Alexandrina Victoria 24 May 1819 – 22 January 1901 was from 20 June 1837 the Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland The Province of Canada or the United Province of Canada was a British colony in North America from 1841 to 1867 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. Charles Stanley Monck 4th Viscount Monck, GCMG, PC ( Templemore October 10, 1819 &ndash November 29, 1894 The additions were opposed by George Brown, as he claimed "the Governor General's residence is a miserable little house, and the grounds those of an ambitious country squire. George Brown (November 28 1818 May 10 1880 was a Scottish -born Canadian journalist politician and one of the Fathers of Confederation. " 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. Sir John Alexander Macdonald GCB, KCMG, PC ( January 11, 1815 – June 6, 1891) was the first Prime Minister 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. The Grand Duke Alexei Alexandrovich Romanov of Russia (St Petersburg January 14, 1850 (January 4 O Tsar csar and tzar redirect here For other uses see Tsar (disambiguation. Alexander (Aleksandr II Nikolaevich (Александр II Николаевич ( Moscow, 29 April 1818 – 13 March 1881 in St ^[8]

Negative first opinions of Rideau Hall were a theme until the early part of the 20th century. Upon arrival at the house in 1872, Lady Dufferin said in her journal: "We have been so very enthusiastic about everything hitherto that the first sight of Rideau Hall did lower our spirits just a little!"^[9] In 1893, Lady Stanley, wife of Governor General Lord Stanley, said "You will find the furniture in the rooms very old-fashioned & not very pretty. Hariot Georgina Hamilton-Temple-Blackwood Marchioness of Dufferin and Ava VA CI DBE ( 5 February 1843 &ndash 25 October Frederick Arthur Stanley 16th Earl of Derby, KG, GCB, GCVO, PC ( 15 January 1841 – 14 June 1908 . . The red drawing room. . . had no furniture except chairs & tables. . . The walls are absolutely bare. . . The room which has always been the wife of the G. G. 's sitting room is very empty. . . There are no lamps in the house at all. No cushions, no table cloths, in fact none of the small things that make a room pretty & comfortable. "^[10] Lady Aberdeen said upon her leaving Ottawa that Rideau Hall was a "shabby old Government House put away amongst its clump of bushes. Ishbel Maria Hamilton-Gordon Marchioness of Aberdeen and Temair GBE ( 15 March 1857 &ndash 18 April 1939) was a Scottish author . . "^[11] Various improvements were undertaken over the decades, however, seeing the first gas chandeliers and a telegraph wire put in, as well as the construction of the ballroom the same year. By the time Rideau Hall was to live up to its role as a royal home, when its first royal residents, the Duke of Argyll and his wife, Princess Louise, Duchess of Argyll, moved in at the beginning of 1878, many improvements had been completed. For other persons of the same name see John Campbell or Duke of Argyll. The Princess Louise (Louise Caroline Alberta Marchioness of Lorne and Duchess of Argyll by marriage 18 March 1848 &ndash 3 December 1939 was a member of the The Duke stated of the Hall: "Here we are settling down in this big and comfortable House, which I tell Louise is much superior to Kensington, for the walls are thick, the rooms are lathed and plastered (which they are not at Kensington) and there is an abundant supply of heat and light. Kensington Palace is a royal residence set in Kensington Gardens in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea in London, England A lath is a thin narrow strip of some straight-grained wood or other material including Metal or Gypsum. The term plaster can refer to plaster of Paris Lime plaster, or Cement plaster. "^[12] By 1879 there were threats from Fenians on the life of the Princess, and she was ushered back to the UK for both rest and protection. Fianna Éireann The Fenians, both the Fenian Brotherhood and Irish Republican Brotherhood, were fraternal organisations dedicated to the establishment of an independent 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. ^[13]

Their Majesties' Canadian residence

When King George VI and Queen Elizabeth arrived at Rideau Hall on May 19, 1939, during their first Royal Tour of Canada, official Royal Tour historian, Gustave Lanctot, stated: "When Their Majesties walked into their Canadian residence, the Statute of Westminster had assumed full reality: the King of Canada had come home. Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon (Elizabeth Angela Marguerite 4 August 1900 &ndash 30 March 2002 was the Queen Consort of King George There has been an extended royal presence in Canada since the end of the 18th century Gustave Lanctot, OC, FRSC, also spelled Gustave Lanctôt, ( 5 July 1883 &ndash 2 February 1975) was a Canadian The Statute of Westminster 1931 is an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom (22 & 23 Geo " The King, while there, accepted the credentials of Daniel Calhoun Roper as Ambassador from the United States, a task ever previously performed by only the Governor General. Daniel Calhoun Roper ( April 1 1867 &ndash April 11, 1943) was a U ^[1]

After the outbreak of World War II, plans were made for the King and Queen to reside in Canada. World War II, or the Second World War, (often abbreviated WWII) was a global military conflict which involved a majority of the world's nations, including 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. Hatley Park National Historic Site is located in Colwood British Columbia in Greater Victoria Colwood is a city located on Vancouver Island to the southwest of Victoria, capital of British Columbia. ^[14] However, it was decided that the Royal Family leaving the United Kingdom 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, Princess Alice, Countess of Athlone, could do little to add her personal touch to Rideau Hall, due to rationing and scarce supplies. Princess Alice Countess of Athlone (Alice Mary Victoria Augusta Pauline née Princess Alice of Albany; 25 February 1883 &ndash 3 January The hall at that time became the residence in exile of a number of royals displaced by invasions of their countries back in Europe: Canada's royal guests were Crown Prince Olav 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 had lost their homes in the Blitz. Olav V (2 July 1903 &ndash 17 January 1991 was the King of Norway from 1957 until his death Crown Princess of Norway Märtha was the daughter of HRH Prince Carl of Sweden and HRH Princess Ingeborg of Denmark, Princess of Sweden Charlotte Grand Duchess of Luxembourg (Charlotte Adelgonde Elisabeth Marie Wilhelmine vu Lëtzebuerg January 23, 1896 &ndash July 9, 1985 Peter II of Yugoslavia, known also as Petar II Karađorđević ( Cyrillic: Краљ Петар II Карађорђевић (6 September 1923 – 3 November 1970 Early life first period of kingship and exile George was born at the royal villa at Tatoi, near Athens, the eldest son of Constantine I King of the Hellenes Zita of Bourbon-Parma ( Zita Maria delle Grazie Adelgonda Micaela Raffaela Gabriella Giuseppina Antonia Luisa Agnese; 9 May 1892 &ndash 14 March 1989 was the wife of Emperor Wilhelmina (Wilhelmina Helena Pauline Marie 31 August 1880 &ndash 28 November 1962) was Queen regnant of the Kingdom of the Juliana (Juliana Emma Louise Marie Wilhelmina van Oranje-Nassau 30 April 1909 &ndash 20 March 2004) was Queen regnant of the Children Princess Margriet and Pieter van Vollenhoven have four sons Prince Maurits (born 17 April 1968) m The Blitz was the sustained bombing of Britain by Nazi Germany between 7 September 1940 and 10 May 1941 in World War II. ^[15] It was in December 1941 that Winston Churchill arrived at Rideau Hall, where he presided over British Cabinet meetings via telephone from his bed. Sir Winston Leonard Spencer-Churchill, KG, OM, CH, TD, FRS, PC, PC (Can ( 30 November 1874 In the Politics of the United Kingdom, the Cabinet is a formal body composed of the most senior government ministers chosen by the Prime Minister ^[16]

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. Parliament Hill (colloquially The Hill, French Colline du Parlement) is a scenic location on the southern banks of the Ottawa River in downtown ^[17]

At the end of the war, the first peacetime ball was held for Dwight D. Eisenhower, and following this, life within the household returned more to normal, the transition from war to peace marked by the appointment of a new Governor General, Viscount Alexander, whose son, Brian, apparently used the portraits of Governors General throughout Rideau Hall as targets for his water pistol. Dwight David "Ike" Eisenhower (October 14 1890 – March 28 1969 was President of the United States from 1953 until 1961 and a five-star general Field Marshal Harold Rupert Leofric George Alexander 1st Earl Alexander of Tunis KG OM GCB GCMG CSI DSO A water gun (or water pistol, squirt gun, or water blaster) is a type of Toy designed to shoot Water. ^[18] In 1951 the Hall received its first post-war Canadian royal visitors: Princess Elizabeth and her husband Prince Philip. For the ship see RMS Queen Elizabeth 2 Elizabeth II (Elizabeth Alexandra Mary Context States headed by Elizabeth II While there the couple partook in a square dance in the ballroom (wearing checked shirts). Square dance is a Folk dance with four couples (eight dancers arranged in a square with one couple on each side beginning with Couple 1 facing away from the music and going Tartan is a pattern consisting of criss-crossed horizontal and vertical bands in multiple colours 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. ^[19]

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. For the ship see RMS Queen Elizabeth 2 Elizabeth II (Elizabeth Alexandra Mary Context States headed by Elizabeth II Charles Vincent Massey PC CC CH CD FRSC ( February 20, 1887 – December 30,

Canadian vice-regal residents

US President John Kennedy (left) with Governor General Georges Vanier and Prime Minister Diefenbaker at Rideau Hall. The President of the United States is the Head of state and Head of government of the United States and is the highest political official in United States by Major-General Georges-Philéas Vanier DSO MC & Bar CD ( April 23, 1888 - March 5, 1967

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. "^[20]

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. Juliana (Juliana Emma Louise Marie Wilhelmina van Oranje-Nassau 30 April 1909 &ndash 20 March 2004) was Queen regnant of the Dwight David "Ike" Eisenhower (October 14 1890 – March 28 1969 was President of the United States from 1953 until 1961 and a five-star general The United States of America —commonly referred to as the Haile Selassie I ( Ge'ez: am ኃይለ፡ ሥላሴ "Power of the Trinity " 23 July 1892 &ndash 27 August 1975 born Tafari Makonnen, was Jawaharlal Nehru (जवाहरलाल नेहरू ʤəʋäɦəɾläl nɛɦɾu (14 November 1889 27 May 1964 was a major political leader of the Congress Party The President of Germany (deutscher Bundespräsident is Germany 's Head of state. The President of the Italian Republic (Presidente della Repubblica Italiana is the Head of State of Italy, and as such is intended to represent national unity This is the list of the presidents of Indonesia. Key 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. TalkCommonewalth realm.-->The monarchy of Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon (Elizabeth Angela Marguerite 4 August 1900 &ndash 30 March 2002 was the Queen Consort of King George The Princess Mary Princess Royal and Countess of Harewood (Victoria Alexandra Alice Mary Lascelles née Windsor 25 April 1897 &ndash 28 March Katharine Duchess of Kent (Katharine Lucy Mary née Worsley 22 February 1933 is a member of the British Royal Family, the wife of Prince Edward Duke of Kent, ^[21] 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. The 1967 International and Universal Exposition, or Expo 67 as it was commonly known was the World's Fair held in Montreal, Canada from April 27 to October Montreal, or Montréal in French ( pronounced in French, in English) is the largest city in the Canadian province of Quebec With the rise of the Quebec sovereignty movement and the October Crisis of 1970, Rideau Hall was heavily guarded for a number of weeks. The Quebec sovereignty movement ( Mouvement souverainiste du Québec) is a political movement aimed at either attaining independent statehood ( Sovereignty) or some The October Crisis was a series of dramatic events triggered by two terrorist Kidnappings of government officials by members of the ^[22]

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 Jeanne Sauvé's time as Governor General; access was made only through invitation, appointment, or pre-arranged tours on certain days. Jeanne Mathilde Sauvé PC CC CMM CD (née Benoît ( April 26, 1922 – January 26, 1993 This decision was based on concerns of Royal Canadian Mounted Police and National Capital Commission for security of the vice-regal; however, Sauvé was reportedly personally worried about her safety, saying "I'm worried about those crazy men out there"; a comment contrary to one given in an interview before her swearing-in wherein she said of Rideau Hall: "Oh yes, definitely, it has to be open. The National Capital Commission (NCC known in French as the Commission de la capitale nationale (CCN is a Canadian Crown corporation that administers the federally " The move caused controversy and offence amongst Ottawa residents. One group formed under the name Canada Unlock the Gate Group, and asserted the closure was more about Sauvé's selfish desire for privacy than any real security risks. The Globe and Mail reported in 1986 that the group wanted to boycott the Governor General's annual garden party because of what they called her "bunker mentality. The Globe and Mail is a Canadian English language nationally distributed Newspaper, based in Toronto and printed in six cities " Sauvé's successor, Ray Hnatyshyn, reopened the palace and gardens to the public. Ramon John Hnatyshyn PC CC CMM CD QC FRHSC (''hc'' (commonly known as Ray Hnatyshyn, anglicized ^[23]

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 Rideau Canal, also known as the Rideau Waterway, connects the city of Ottawa Ontario, Canada on the Ottawa River to the city of Kingston The house was also known colloquially as "MacKay's Castle. "^[24] 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. Government House is the name given to some of the residences of Governors-General, Governors and Lieutenant-Governors in the Commonwealth and the 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. The Viceregal consort is the spouse of the Governor General of Canada. Victoria (Alexandrina Victoria 24 May 1819 – 22 January 1901 was from 20 June 1837 the Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland ^[25] 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 Proclamations will finish with the phrase: "At Our Government House, in Our City of Ottawa. A proclamation (Lat proclamare, to make public by announcement is an official declaration . . "^[26]

Architecture

The Mappin Wing prior to the 1914 addition.

An early proposal for a new front to Rideau Hall.

The new main entrance hall inside the 1914 addition.

The residence was built in 1838 to house Scottish stone mason and contractor Thomas McKay and his family, who occupied it until 1855. Scotland ( Gaelic: Alba) is a Country in northwest Europethat occupies the northern third of the island of Great Britain. Thomas McKay ( September 1, 1792 – October 9, 1855) was a Canadian businessman who was one of the founders of the city of Ottawa Ontario The architecture of the home is generally in Victorian and Edwardian styles. The term Victorian architecture can refer to one of a number of Architectural styles predominantly employed during the Victorian era. Class and society Socially the Edwardian era was a period during which the British Class system was very rigid

The original 1838 structure was relatively small; two stories with a full-height, central, curved bay, with an accordingly curved pediment on top, designed by MacKay (who also designed and built Earnscliffe)^[24] in a Regency style, inspired by architect Sir John Soane,^[24] who himself had designed a never built government house for the then capital of Upper Canada, York, in 1818. A pediment is a classical architectural element consisting of the triangular section found above the horizontal structure ( Entablature) typically supported by Earnscliffe is a Victorian manor in Ottawa, Ontario. It is currently home of the British High Commissioner to Canada, and it was previously The Regency style of Architecture refers primarily to buildings built in Britain during the period in the early 19th century when George IV was Sir John Soane ( 10 September 1753 &ndash 20 January 1837) was an English Architect who specialised in the Neo-Classical York was the name of Toronto, Ontario, between 1793 and 1834 and second capital of Upper Canada. ^[27] 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. Lord Monck oversaw the first addition; a long wing extending the house to the east, built in a style that attempted to be harmonious with the original, but was intended to resemble the Governor General's residence in Quebec – Spencer Wood, which Monck greatly preferred – with a similar long, covered verandah, and an overall Norman style of design, typical of Quebec. Charles Stanley Monck 4th Viscount Monck, GCMG, PC ( Templemore October 10, 1819 &ndash November 29, 1894 Quebec's Government House, known as Spencerwood was the Vice regal residence of Quebec. A verandah or veranda is a roofed opened gallery or porchIt is also described as an open pillared gallery generally roofed built around a central structure For other buildings in Normandy see Architecture of Normandy. ^[28] This extension included a cross hall, and a new staircase capped by an ornate stained glass lantern. For the Blackford Oakes novel see Stained Glass (novel The term stained glass refers either to the material of coloured Glass or to the art 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. Frederick Temple Hamilton-Temple-Blackwood 1st Marquess of Dufferin and Ava, KP, GCB, GCSI, GCMG, GCIE, PC (21 June Tennis is a sport played between two players ( singles) or between two teams of two players each ( doubles) 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. Gilbert John Elliot-Murray-Kynynmound 4th Earl of Minto, KG, GCSI, GCMG, GCIE, PC ( London July 9, 1845 ^[29] 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. Albert Henry George Grey 4th Earl Grey, GCMG, GCVO, PC (28 November 1851 &ndash 29 August 1917 was a British nobleman who was Governor

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 harmonize their windows, cornice heights and materials in a "adapted Florentine architectural style"^[30] built from limestone ashlar, and designed by David Ewart, chief Dominion architect. The term cornice comes from Italian cornice, meaning “ledge Florence ( Italian: Firenze Florentia and Fiorenza) is the Capital City of the Italian region of Tuscany Limestone is a Sedimentary rock composed largely of the Mineral Calcite ( Calcium carbonate: CaCO3 Ashlar is dressed stone work of any type of stone Ashlar blocks are large rectangular blocks of Masonry sculpted to have square edges and even faces David Ewart was a Canadian Architect who served as Chief Dominion Architect from 1896 to 1914 A dominion, often Dominion, refers to one of a group of autonomous polities under sovereign authority within the British Empire and 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. Marble is a nonfoliated Metamorphic rock resulting from the Metamorphism of Limestone, composed mostly of Calcite (a crystalline form of An aide-de-camp ( French for camp assistant) is a personal assistant secretary or Adjutant to a person of high rank usually a senior military officer 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. A porte-cochere ( French porte-cochère, literally "coach door" also called a carriage porch) is the architectural A fanlight is a window semicircular or semi-elliptical in shape with Glazing bars or Tracery sets radiating out like an open fan, It is placed over 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. A pediment is a classical architectural element consisting of the triangular section found above the horizontal structure ( Entablature) typically supported by The Coat of Arms of Canada (also known as the Royal Arms of Canada or more properly the Arms of His/Her Majesty in Right of Canada) is since 1921 the official ^[31]

Over the summer of 2007 the main facade of Rideau Hall underwent a major renovation by the National Capital Commission. The National Capital Commission (NCC known in French as the Commission de la capitale nationale (CCN is a Canadian Crown corporation that administers the federally

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. Toronto (təˈrɒntoʊ colloquially pronounced or) is the largest city in Canada and is the provincial capital of Ontario Quebec (kwɨˈbɛk ^[32] Originally, decoration was heavily Victorian, with many Rococo influences. Victorian decorative arts refers to the style of Decorative arts during the Victorian era. Rococo is a style of 18th century French art and Interior design. Renovations, however, have turned the interiors into predominantly Georgian spaces. Georgian architecture is the name given in most English -speaking countries to the set of Architectural styles current between 1720 and 1840 ^[8] 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. The National Gallery of Canada ( Musée des beaux arts du Canada) located in the capital city Ottawa Ontario, is one of Canada 's premier Art

Governor General Michaëlle Jean with Order of Canada inductees, beneath the state portrait of Queen Victoria in the Tent Room of Rideau Hall. Michaëlle Jean, CC CMM COM CD ʒɑ̃ (born September 6, 1957, in Port-au-Prince, The Order of Canada is the highest civilian honour within the Canadian system of honours, with membership awarded to those who exemplify the order's Latin Victoria (Alexandrina Victoria 24 May 1819 – 22 January 1901 was from 20 June 1837 the Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland

The Ballroom of Rideau Hall, showing the Waterford crystal chandelier and the painting of the Queen and Duke of Edinburgh by Lemieux. Jean Paul Lemieux, CC, GOQ ( 18 November, 1904 &ndash 7 December, 1990) is one of the foremost painters of twentieth

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 Group of Seven was a group of Canadian landscape painters in the 1920s originally consisting of Franklin Carmichael, Lawren Harris Lawren Stewart Harris ( October 23, 1885 &ndash January 29, 1970) was a Canadian painter Emily Carr ( December 13, 1871 &ndash March 2, 1945) was a Canadian artist and writer heavily inspired by the Indigenous Jean Paul Lemieux, CC, GOQ ( 18 November, 1904 &ndash 7 December, 1990) is one of the foremost painters of twentieth William (Bill Ronald Reid ( January 12, 1920 – March 13, 1998) was a Canadian artist whose works included jewelry sculpture 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 Viceregal consort is the spouse of the Governor General of Canada. Marie Freeman-Thomas Marchioness of Willingdon GBE (b 1875 &ndash d China ( Wade-Giles ( Mandarin) Chung¹kuo² is a cultural region, an ancient Civilization, and depending on perspective a National HSBC Holdings plc ( (,,,) is a Public limited company incorporated in England and Wales, headquartered in London. The space, which now contains Glenn Gould's Steinway baby grand piano,^[33] is today used to greet and host functions for ambassadors and high commissioners to Canada. Glenn Herbert Gould At a young age he reportedly behaved differently from typical children at the piano he would strike single notes and listen to their long decay Steinway & Sons (often called Steinway) is a Piano maker since 1853 in New York City, USA. The piano is a Musical instrument played by means of a keyboard that produces sound by striking steel strings with Felt covered hammers An ambassador is the highest ranking Diplomat who represents their country High Commissioner is the title of various high-ranking special executive positions held by a commission of appointment Another of the Consorts, Princess Louise, painted apple branches on a 6-panel Georgian door in the first-floor corridor; they remain there today. The Princess Louise (Louise Caroline Alberta Marchioness of Lorne and Duchess of Argyll by marriage 18 March 1848 &ndash 3 December 1939 was a member of the Nora Michener, wife of Governor General Roland Michener, donated a collection of Inuit sculpture. Daniel Roland Michener PC CC CMM CD QC ( April 19, 1900 - August 6, 1991 Inuit (plural the singular Inuk, means "man" or "person" is a general term for a group of culturally similar Indigenous peoples inhabiting ^[3]

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. Public Works and Government Services Canada, also referred to as Department of Public Works and Government Services, is the department of the government of Canada 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. The National Capital Commission (NCC known in French as the Commission de la capitale nationale (CCN is a Canadian Crown corporation that administers the federally ^[33]

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. Charles Vincent Massey PC CC CH CD FRSC ( February 20, 1887 – December 30, 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. ^[8] 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,^[8] 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. A cabinet is a body of high-ranking members of Government, typically representing the executive branch. 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. Waterford Crystal is a Trademark brand of crystal Glassware produced in Waterford, Ireland, and in recent years (largely as sub-brands A chandelier is a branched decorative ceiling-mounted light fixture with two or more arms bearing lights Her Majesty's Government, or when the monarch is male His Majesty's Government, is the title used by the Government of the United Kingdom, based at World War II, or the Second World War, (often abbreviated WWII) was a global military conflict which involved a majority of the world's nations, including The sterling silver sets on display in the Dining Room are on loan from Buckingham Palace. Buckingham Palace is the official London residence of the British monarch. ^[3] In an alcove, stained glass windows celebrate the excellence of Canadian performing artists and the establishment of the Governor General's Performing Arts Awards. ^[34]

In the entrance hall is the Royal Window; a stained glass piece commemorating the 40th anniversary of Elizabeth II's accession to the Throne,^[3] displaying the Royal Arms of Canada at the centre, surrounded by the heraldic shields of the provinces and territories. For the Blackford Oakes novel see Stained Glass (novel The term stained glass refers either to the material of coloured Glass or to the art The Coat of Arms of Canada (also known as the Royal Arms of Canada or more properly the Arms of His/Her Majesty in Right of Canada) is since 1921 the official The provinces and territories of Canada combine to make up the world's second largest country in total area. 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. ^[35]

Monck Wing

The Large Drawing Room in the 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 heads of state and other officials, contains furniture and works by Canadian artisans. Head of state is the generic term for the individual or collective office that serves as the chief public representative of a Monarchic or Republican Nation-state ^[36] Originally created by Pauline Vanier out of an old aide-de-camp smoking room, the room originally had pine panelling and antique Quebec furnishings,^[37] it was later redone to remove the tongue and groove planks, which were said to be reminiscent of suburban basement panelling popular in the 1970s. Pauline Vanier PC, CC ( March 28, 1898 - March 23, 1991) born Pauline Archer in Montreal, married Georges An aide-de-camp ( French for camp assistant) is a personal assistant secretary or Adjutant to a person of high rank usually a senior military officer Smoking Room (or Smoking Lounge refers to a room which is specifically used for smoking in These can be found in airports, and many Office like buildings This article is about the tree For other uses of the term "pine" see Pine (disambiguation. Tongue and groove or T&G is a method of fitting similar objects together edge to edge used mainly with Wood: Flooring, Parquetry, panelling 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 term Edwardian Baroque refers to the Neo-Baroque architectural style of many public buildings built in the British Empire during the reign of Edward The portraits in the Drawing Room depict the vice-regal consorts of previous Governors General. ^[38] 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. ^[39]

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 1990s collectively refers to the years between and including 1990 and 1999 The Devonshires, relations of the Duke of Devonshire, presented a Regency mirror used at Chatsworth House. Victor Christian William Cavendish 9th Duke of Devonshire, KG, GCMG, GCVO ( London May 31, 1868 – May The Regency style of Architecture refers primarily to buildings built in Britain during the period in the early 19th century when George IV was Chatsworth House is a large Country house at Chatsworth, Derbyshire, England 3½ miles north east of Bakewell. ^[3] 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. A chapel is a holy place or area of Worship for Christians, which may be attached to an institution such as a large church, a College, a Ecumenism (also oecumenism, œcumenism) refers to initiatives aimed at greater Religious unity or cooperation Anglicanism is a tradition of Christian faith Churches in this tradition either have historical connections to the Church of England or have similar beliefs For the ship see RMS Queen Elizabeth 2 Elizabeth II (Elizabeth Alexandra Mary Context States headed by Elizabeth II ^[40]

The Governor General's study contains a complete collection of Governor General's Literary Award winning works. The Governor General's Awards are named in honour of the Governor General of Canada, and are presented in a number of fields 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. Adrienne Louise Clarkson PC CC CMM COM CD (born February 10 1939 is an accomplished Canadian journalist and stateswoman Today it forms the only complete collection of Governor General's Literary Award winners in existence. ^[36]

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. Sir James Hamet Dunn 1st Baronet ( October 29 1874 - January 1 1956) was a major Canadian financier and industrialist during the first half of Johann Zoffany, Zoffani or Zauffelij (b March 13, 1733 &ndash November 11, 1810) was a German neoclassical 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. Michaëlle Jean, CC CMM COM CD ʒɑ̃ (born September 6, 1957, in Port-au-Prince, Screen printing is a printing technique that uses a woven mesh to support an ink blocking stencil The Journals of Susanna Moodie is a book of Poetry by Margaret Atwood, first published in 1970 Margaret Eleanor Atwood, CC (born November 18, 1939) is a Canadian Writer. The collection of furnishing, art and artifacts 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. The Canadian Government, formally Her Majesty's Government in Canada, is the Federal government of Canada. ^[41] Paintings are also provided from the Royal Collection.

Grounds

The main gate and Gate House of Rideau Hall, flanked by the Ceremonial Guard of the Governor General's Foot Guards. The Ceremonial Guard is an ad hoc military unit in the Canadian Forces with elements drawn from two Primary Reserve ( Militia) regiments of Foot Guards The Governor General's Foot Guards is one of three Household regiments in the Primary Reserve of the Canadian Army, along with The Governor General's

Rideau Hall's 0. 36 km² (88 acre) property, surrounded by a 2,500 metre (7,700 ft) cast iron and cast stone, Victorian style fence put up in 1928,^[4] contains a uniquely Canadian landscape in a designed "natural style," including broad lawns, groves of trees, and meandering roads and pathways. Cast iron usually refers to grey cast iron, but identifies a large group of Ferrous Alloys which solidify with a Eutectic. Cast stone is defined as “a refined Architectural Concrete building unit manufactured to simulate natural cut stone used in unit masonry applications” A fence is a freestanding structure designed to restrict or prevent movement across a boundary Natural landscaping, also called native gardening, is the use of Plants, including Trees Shrubs Groundcover, Grass which The entire site is divided into five distinct areas: the wooded entrance park (trees, groundcover, daffodils and lawn), the open parkland (open meadow), the sugar bush, the ornamental gardens (flower gardens), and the farm (buildings, Rideau Cottage, and open area). A lawn is an area of recreational or amenity land planted with grass, and sometimes Clover and other plants which are maintained at a low even height A meadow is a field vegetated primarily by Grass and other non- Woody plants. Sugar bush refers to a Forest stand which is exploited for Maple syrup. Ornamental plants are typically grown in the flower Garden or as House plants Most commonly they are grown for the display of their Flowers Other common ^[42] The grounds have hosted a number of activities and events throughout its history as a royal residence. The earliest Governors General added amenities such as a curling rink, a skating pond, toboggan runs, tennis courts, and the like. Curling is a team Sport with similarities to Bowls and Shuffle board, played by two teams of four players each on a rectangular sheet of carefully prepared A toboggan is a simple Sled used on snow to carry one or more people (often children down a hill or other slope for recreation 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. William Lyon Mackenzie King PC OM CMG ( December 17, 1874 – July 22, 1950) was a Canadian Not to be confused with his cousin Frederick Borden, Canadian Minister of Militia and Defence from 1896 to 1911 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. The 49th parallel north is a Circle of latitude that is 49 degrees north of the Earth's equatorial plane. Ladies go in for it. I think they like rolling over and over with the gentlemen. "^[43]

The grounds have always contained vegetable and herb gardens, from which plants, fruits and edible flowers are used in the palace kitchens, potatoes having once been the most important crop. The potato is a Starchy Tuberous crop Vegetable from the perennial Solanum tuberosum of the Solanaceae The property used to support a herd of cattle, and fields were used to grow hay. Cattle, colloquially referred to as cows, are domesticated Ungulates a member of the Subfamily Bovinae of the family Hay is a generic term for grass or Legumes that have been cut dried and stored for use as animal feed, particularly for grazing animals like ^[44] A greenhouse and flower garden provide flowers for the Hall and the other government buildings in Ottawa. A greenhouse (also called a glasshouse or hothouse) is a building where plants are cultivated During the early spring months, the maples throughout the property are tapped for syrup making. Acer ( maple) is a Genus of Trees or Shrubs They are variously classified in a family of their own the Aceraceae, or Maple syrup is a sweetener made from the sap of Maple trees In Canada and the United States it is most often eaten with waffles and pancakes

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,"^[45] a move that outraged the traditionalists. Field Marshal Julian Hedworth George Byng 1st Viscount Byng of Vimy GCB GCMG MVO ( 11 September 1862 &ndash An aide-de-camp ( French for camp assistant) is a personal assistant secretary or Adjutant to a person of high rank usually a senior military officer Under the tenure of Governor General Jeanne Sauvé the grounds of Rideau Hall were closed to the public. Jeanne Mathilde Sauvé PC CC CMM CD (née Benoît ( April 26, 1922 – January 26, 1993 However, following her, Ray Hnatyshyn reversed this decision. Ramon John Hnatyshyn PC CC CMM CD QC FRHSC (''hc'' (commonly known as Ray Hnatyshyn, anglicized 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 Levée is a New Year's Day social event hosted by the Governor General of Canada, the Lieutenant-Governors, military establishments municipalities The event traces its roots back to the French royal government. ^[3]

The grounds were transformed throughout the decades along with the house: Lady Byng created the existent rock garden, with a reflecting pool and wild corner for growing trilliums and orchids, a totem pole from British Columbia was added, and an inukshuk built to commemorate National Aborigional Day in 1997. A rock garden, also known as a rockery or an alpine garden, is a type of Garden that features extensive use of rocks or stones along Trillium is a genus of about 40-50 species of perennial herbaceous Flowering plants native to temperate regions of North America and Asia Totem poles are monumental Sculptures carved from great Trees usually cedar but mostly Western Redcedar, by a number of Indigenous cultures along British Columbia (ˌbrɪtɨʃ kəˈlʌmbiə ( BC) ( (la Colombie-Britannique C An inuksuk (plural inuksuit) (from the Inuktitut: ᐃᓄᒃᓱᒃ plural ᐃᓄᒃᓱᐃᑦ alternatively inukshuk in English or inukhuk Also, every time Rideau Hall receives a dignitary on an official visit, they are asked to plant a tree. As such, the grounds of Rideau Hall, mostly along the main drive, are filled with nearly 100 trees that have small plaques at their bases listing the name and position of the planter. ^[46] These include The Queen Mother, Diana, Princess of Wales, Prince Charles, King George VI, and numerous by Queen Elizabeth II. Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon (Elizabeth Angela Marguerite 4 August 1900 &ndash 30 March 2002 was the Queen Consort of King George For the ship see RMS Queen Elizabeth 2 Elizabeth II (Elizabeth Alexandra Mary Context States headed by 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. John Fitzgerald "Jack" Kennedy (May 29 1917&ndashNovember 22 1963 often referred to by his initials JFK, was the thirty-fifth President of William Jefferson "Bill" Clinton (born William Jefferson Blythe III, August 19 1946 served as the forty-second President of the United States Kofi Atta Annan, GCMG (born 8 April 1938 is a Ghanaian Diplomat who served as the seventh Secretary-General of the United Nations Boris Nikolayevich Yeltsin () (1 February 1931 23 April 2007 was the first President of the Russian Federation, serving from 1991 to 1999 Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin (; born 7 October 1952 in Leningrad, USSR; now Saint Petersburg, Russia was the second President of Russia Vicente Fox Quesada ( born July 2 1942) is a Mexican politician who served as President of Mexico from 2000 to 2006 and currently 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. Totem poles are monumental Sculptures carved from great Trees usually cedar but mostly Western Redcedar, by a number of Indigenous cultures along The term Kwakiutl was usually applied to a group of indigenous peoples of northern Vancouver Island, Queen Charlotte Strait and the Johnstone Strait Chief Mungo Martin or Nakapenkim (meaning a potlatch chief "ten times over" Datsa (meaning "grandfather" was a noted An inuksuk (plural inuksuit) (from the Inuktitut: ᐃᓄᒃᓱᒃ plural ᐃᓄᒃᓱᐃᑦ alternatively inukshuk in English or inukhuk Cape Dorset ( Inuktitut: Kinngait; Syllabics: ᑭᙵᐃᑦ is an Inuit hamlet located Baffin Island (ᕿᑭᖅᑖᓗᒃ Qikiqtaaluk, Île de Baffin Old Norse: Helluland) in the territory of Nunavut is the largest member ^[47]

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. Cricket is a bat-and-ball team Sport that originated in England and is now played in more than 100 countries A Cricket pitch is the central strip of the Cricket field between the Wickets The pitch is 1 chain or 22 yards (20 Charles Stanley Monck 4th Viscount Monck, GCMG, PC ( Templemore October 10, 1819 &ndash November 29, 1894 Year 1866 ( MDCCCLXVI) was a Common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common Matches continue to be played at the Hall during summer weekends. ^[48]

See also

• Government House
• Government Houses of Canada
• Government Houses of the British Empire
• Official residence
• List of palaces
• List of buildings in Ottawa
• List of old Canadian buildings
• List of national historic sites of Canada

External links

• Rideau Hall
• Visit to Rideau Hall: Teacher's Guide
• Photo gallery of Rideau Hall
• Restoration work to Rideau Hall

Panoramas

The Governor General's website maintains QuickTime panoramas of a number of Rideau Hall's rooms, though these are no longer directly available through the site. Government House is the name given to some of the residences of Governors-General, Governors and Lieutenant-Governors in the Commonwealth and the This is a list of Government Houses in Canada. Rideau Hall La Citadelle Newfoundland & Labrador See also Government House Government House is the name given to some of the residences of Governors-General, Governors and Lieutenant-Governors An official residence is the residence at which Heads of state, Heads of government, gubernatorial or other senior figures officially Afghanistan Darul Aman Palace Tajbeg Palace Argentina Casa Rosada - Presidential This is a list of notable Buildings in Ottawa, Canada. Museums Portrait Gallery of Canada National Gallery Between 1888 and the 1970s Canada was placed second in the world in terms of sheer number of Skyscrapers. This is a complete list of the National Historic Sites of Canada. QuickTime is a Multimedia framework developed by Apple Inc, capable of handling various formats of Digital video, Media clips sound text In its most general sense a panorama is any wide view of a physical space

• Entrance Hall
• Tent Room
• Long Gallery
• Reception Room
• Ballroom
• Pauline Vanier Room
• Large Drawing Room
• Large Dining Room
• Greenhouse
• Gardens and grounds

Footnotes