Opened in 1913 as Loew's Yonge Street Theatre, this unique complex houses two distinct theatres, one stacked above the other: the ornate Elgin Theatre below and the whimsical Winter Garden Theatre above. The Elgin, originally Loew's, was designed in the opulent Louis XIV style, serving as a grand venue for vaudeville and silent films. Above it, accessible by a separate entrance and elevator, was the Winter Garden, a magical space designed to evoke an enchanted garden, complete with hand-painted walls depicting foliage, trellises, and actual dried leaves and flowers embedded in the plaster. This ingenious design allowed for two different shows to run simultaneously, catering to varied tastes and making it a marvel of early 20th-century entertainment architecture. For over a decade, it was a thriving hub of Toronto's entertainment scene, buzzing with the energy of live performance.
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Landmark space · Elgin and Winter Garden Theatre Centre
Elgin and Winter Garden Theatre Centre
The last operating stacked double-decker theatre in the world, renowned for its opulent architecture and remarkable restoration.
Toronto, ON 514
Community memory · 1929-1989 · Aug 19, 2026
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