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Rideau Hall (officially Government House) is the official residence in Ottawa of both the governor general of Canada and the Canadian monarch. It stands in Canada's capital on a 36-hectare (88-acre) estate at 1 Sussex Drive, with the main building consisting of approximately 175 rooms across 9,500 square metres (102,000 sq ft), and 27 outbuildings around the grounds.
Rideau Hall. This national historic site is set in an idyllic, 79-acre urban oasis located only a few minutes from downtown Ottawa and Gatineau. You are welcome to visit the residence and workplace of the governor general and the grounds year-round. Find out now what there is to see and do! Home > Visit Us > Rideau Hall.
Information and contact. For any inquiries: 613-991-4422 | 1-866-842-4422 (toll-free) | guide@gg.ca. Rideau Hall is a working residence and opening hours are subject to change. Find all the details you need to prepare for a wonderful visit including directions, parking and information on accessibility.
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Enjoy the shade of 10,000 trees, including some 150 planted by VIPs from around the world. Rideau Hall is located just minutes from downtown Ottawa on a road lined with historic buildings, high-end shops and even the Prime Minister's residence. The grounds are open to the public year round, from 8:00 a.m. until an hour before sunset.
The original stone villa was built in 1838 by Thomas MacKay as a home for his family. MacKay, a stonemason, was one of the general contractors of the Rideau Canal entrance locks and the mills at Rideau Falls, the landmark after which Rideau Hall was named. It has been home to every governor general since Confederation.
Rideau Hall was inadequate in many ways, being small and distant from central Ottawa. It was leased anyway, as “temporary” quarters for Lord Monck (the last governor general of British North America, 1861–1867, and first governor general of the Dominion of Canada, 1867–1869).
Jun 3, 2023 · Rideau Hall has been the official residence of every governor general of Canada since 1867, and their workplace since 1940. It is a National Historic Site with nearly two centuries of history, and has become an important gathering place and site of official activities. The villa, which forms the main part of Rideau Hall, was built in 1838, by ...
