Sunday, March 30, 2014

Home For The Hockey Famous

This wonderful Rococo style building located at Yonge and Front Streets has been home to the Hockey Hall Of Fame since 1993. Designed by architects Darling & Curry and built in 1885 for the Bank Of Montreal it remained in use as a bank until 1982 before undergoing a $27 million renovation which also restored some of the beautiful original features of the building including the huge stained glass dome above the central banking hall. Today it is a shrine to hockey in a town that loves hockey and its Maple Leafs despite their horrible record for the last 47 years. 

19 comments:

Birdman said...

If I'm ever in Toronto again,(been there twice), this is a place I'll visit for sure. Walked by this impressive building on my last visit.

cieldequimper said...

Love absolutely everything here, the old and new, the sunshine, the beautiful building!

Happy Sunday!

Jackie McGuinness said...

Love this building but have never been inside. Hubby has.

Taken For Granted said...

That rococo buildings from the 19th Century is great looking. Wonderful that it has found a good purpose. I remember that the Maple Leafs were frequent winners of the Stanley Cup in the 1950s, and always beating our Chicago Black Hawks. Excellent photo.

Thank you for your visit and comment on my blog. You are very kind.

PerthDailyPhoto said...

Wonderful architecture Pat, what do you mean a shrine to hockey.. a hockey museum ?

TexWisGirl said...

wow! how grand a place for hockey memorabilia!

Sharon said...

When I first opened your site my first thought was that it had to be a bank. What a grand old building. I'm glad it has a new life and is visited often.

The Greenockian said...

Meant to visit this on my last visit to Toronto. Will definitely get there next time!

Lowell said...

I'm very surprised. This is such an incredible building in its essence and facade...it's magnificent!

What is mind-boggling is that it houses the Hockey Hall of Fame. Hockey is a sport, which may be great fun to watch, but that's all it is, a sport. This building deserves more.

Sorry about that all you hockey fans!

Linda said...

Totally ignorant about hockey, but this is a lovely building.

Revrunner said...

The Temple of Hockey. What a waste! ;-) Would make a great bank, though.

Anonymous said...

Fantastic looking building, ideal for its purpose!

William Kendall said...

One museum of sorts I've never been into in Toronto. It is beautiful, and I hear it's haunted.

As to the Leafs, well, they're crashing fast at just the right time of year to do so. Just as they do every year.

Jack said...

Brilliant! Simply brilliant. (No comments about the Leafs . . . )

Hockey is an exciting game to see in person. It is too bad that it doesn't lend itself as well to television. That limits its appeal.

Randy said...

That is classic architecture.

Oakland Daily Photo said...

You could have given me ten guesses and I never once would have thought this is the home of the Hockey Hall of Fame. Not a hockey stick in sight.

EG CameraGirl said...

I agree with Jack that hockey is far more exciting in person than on TV. It's a handsome building.

Laura. M said...

Lovely building. Old and new together ;-)

Unknown said...

Gorgeous building!