Rideau Hall, Ottawa

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Rideau Hall has been the official residence of the Governor General of Canada since the country's birth in 1867. Visitors are free to walk around the residence’s beautiful grounds (88 acres), and it is also possible to join one the free guided tours of the residence (sorry, no pics allowed). During summer, tours are offered daily from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm (weekends only from September to October and from April to June).

Rideau Hall is located on Sussex Drive, about 3.5 km away from Parliament Hill. If you have enough time, I would recommend walking to Rideau Hall as this will allow you to walk by many other nice residences, including many embassies and the official residence of the Prime Minister located at 24 Sussex Drive.

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As the Official Head of State, it is the role of the Governor General to welcome visiting Heads of State (in general the PM takes care of Heads of Government and the appropriate Minister meets his/her counterparts visiting the country). In order to accommodate properly the visiting dignitary, the two guest houses on Sussex Drive are put into use. These structures are of a traditional Canadian architecture and meant to highlight the country's heritage luxury style (so, no modern architectural feats here). The structures are not necessarily high on the list of must-see tourist sites for Ottawa, but they do form a part of the Official Residences complex (that, ironically, is an unofficial term) on Sussex.

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As a member of the Commonwealth and a subject territory of the British Monarchy, Canada's Head of State is still the reigning monarch of Great Britain. Given that the Queen cannot spend all of her time in Canada (thankfully - we have enough fiscal problems as it is), she is represented by the Governor-General. The GG, as she is commonly known in Ottawa, is largely a figurehead, although she does have the power to prorogate Parliament on the PM's request and can refuse to grant Royal Assent to Bills. The GG's spectacular residence, known as Rideau Hall, is located not far from the Prime Minister's House and the British and French Embassies on Sussex Drive. It is a massive estate where the majority of the grounds are open to the public. The best time to visit is in summer or fall, when the various gardens (including the rose garden) are in full bloom and you can enjoy all of the spectacular foliage. Many of the gardens are symbolic, representing gifts from dignitaries or events in Canadian history. There is also a cricket pitch, a reminder of one of the many British past-times that never took root in Canada. The Hall itself is off-limits to casual visits, but you can always take part in a guided tour through it; these are organized regularly in English and French. The house is more sombre than one might expect, as it is built of a dark grey stone. It looks much more like a French country manor than a British aristocrat's home. Nevertheless, the intricate carvings and flourishes are definitely worth a few shots.

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Her Excellency, the Right Honourable Michaëlle Jean
was installed today. Culturally i am close to the outgoing Calrkson and
incoming Michaëlle Jean through my mother tongue links and my continent of birth;
I as one living in Canada have mixed feelings of the political expediency
of the appointments by the Ruling Political Party
and certainly hope that both old and new Canadians will be reached and touched by the new GG
and not oinly immigrants and visible minorities.
I as a visible minority want to be part of the larger Canadian community,
not a tribe with special needs and protection, rather, i want to be part of the mainstream
and I respect and admire the older Canadians who have made this country unique
and that Canadian trait is why i like being here

Rideau Hall is the official residence of the Governor General of Canada, and is the place of residence of the Monarch of Canada when visiting Ottawa. Tours are generally offered of the place on Saturdays and Sundays between 12 and 4. During the summer hours are between 10am - 1pm. Keep in mind that official events take precidence over you.

The residence was built in 1838 to house Scottish stone mason, Thomas MacKay and his family, who occupied the residence until 1855. After Queen Victoria chose Ottawa in 1858 as the new capital of the Province of Canada, in 1864 Rideau Hall became the residence of the governor general of British North America, Lord Monck. In 1867 Lord Monck became the first governor general of the Dominion of Canada, and Rideau Hall has continued as the residence of his successors.

The main entrance, completed in 1913, contains all the heraldic shields of the governors of Canada, beginning with Samuel de Champlain, the first governor of New France. There are portraits of the British governors general in the Tent Room and portraits of the Canadian-born governors general (beginning with Vincent Massey) in the Reception Room. Portraits of the spouses of the governors general are found in the Drawing Room.

Today, the residence is used to officially receive foreign heads of state and both incoming and outgoing ambassadors to Canada. It is also the site of presentation for many Canadian awards, including the Order of Canada, the Order of Military Merit, and the Decorations for Bravery, customarily presented in the ballroom. It is also where the official ceremonies swearing in a newly chosen prime minister and his or her ministers take place, as well as the place where the writ of an election is dropped.

Every time a Head of State or Head of Government comes to Rideau Hall on an official visit, they are asked to plant a tree. As such, the grounds of Rideau Hall are filled with trees that have small plaques at their bases listing the name and position of the planter.

Rideau Hall is the official residence of the Governor General of Canada. It is the ome and workplace of every Governor General since Confederation in 1867. Rideau Hall is on 79 acres of beautifully landscaped grounds, minutes from downtown Ottawa. You can tour the residence and gardens, watch the ceremonial guard change every hour or just wander through the grounds.

Since 1867, this is the historic home and workplace of Canada's Governor General, the official representative of Canada's Queen, Queen Elizabeth. Thomas McKay, a stonemason who helped build the Rideau Canal, built the home in 1838. The grounds include 32 hectares of landscaped gardens, and feature the Canadian Heritage Garden, which uses roses and marble columns to illustrate key milestones in Canadian History. In the summer, enjoy tours of the residence, gardens and grounds. See the ceremonial guard (they change every hour on the hour), and outdoor concerts. In the winter, enjoy outdoor skating. Call for tour schedule or for group reservations. Grounds open daily 9 am to dusk, with residence tours offered summertimes from 10 am to 4 pm (except during official functions). Admission free.

Website: http://capcan.ca/attractions/official_residences/rideauhall_e.html