Rideau Hall is a national historic site, set in an idyllic, 79-acre urban oasis located only a few minutes from downtown Ottawa and Gatineau. 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.
You are welcome to visit the residence and workplace of the governor general and the grounds year-round.
Fun Facts
- Rideau Hall has been the official residence of every governor general of Canada since 1867.
- Rideau Hall began as a working farm and family home, built by Thomas MacKay in 1838. Outbuildings included the stables and dairy, though those buildings have since been repurposed.
- The Rideau Hall Rink dates back to 1872 and has operated every winter since on the same site. The skating rink has hosted generations of skaters and shaped the culture of winter sports in Canada. Women’s hockey traces its roots back to Rideau Hall, as the first known image of women playing the sport was taken here in the early 1890s.
