Historic Buildings
of Victoria B.C.
In 1792, Captain George Vancouver
sailed through the Strait of Georgia, noting and naming Vancouver Island.
In 1843, the Hudson's Bay
Company built Fort Victoria (named after England's
Queen). In order to stake England's claim to the island and stave
off the rapidly expanding United States, the British began to settle
the area and in 1849, the island was declared a Crown colony and leased
back to the Hudson's Bay Company. In the 1850s, gold strikes on
the mainland's Thompson and Fraser rivers brought gold miners into Victoria,
and overnight, Victoria became a boom town. Victoria was officially
incorporated in 1862, and in 1868, it was made the capital of British
Columbia.
Today, many of the original Victorian
era homes and buildings remain and are commonly visited attractions.
You'll find big discounts on many of them in the
Entertainment Book, such as Craigdarroch Castle and the Maritime
Museum of British Columbia.
Empress Hotel
What trip to Victoria would be complete
without the Empress Hotel (except ours...)? The grandeur of the Empress,
built in 1908, is Victoria's most recognizable landmark. It's
ivy-covered walls house the most expensive rooms
in Victoria, up to
$2000 per night during peak season for a suite. Tourists from
all over the world flock to have
afternoon tea (for $42 ea.) in it's tea lobby, and drool over the
menus of its restaurants. Make sure to make reservations at least
two weeks in advance for tea. The Empress Room is the cream of
the crop here, with meals starting at $30 and going up from there.
You will get an elegant setting with live harp music for your money,
though. Hit the Empress in off-season for dramatic price reductions.
Click HERE for up to 70% off your Empress Reservations!
Parliament Buildings
Completed in 1897, and designed by
Francis Rattenbury, they are lit at night, providing the centerpiece
for Victoria's after-dark scene. Tours are offered every 20 minutes
in the summer, and less frequently in the winter.
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Emily Carr House
This 1864 home belonged to Emily Carr,
a painter and writer native to British Columbia.
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Helmcken House
Built in 1852, this is the oldest
house in British Columbia. Tours are $5 for adults, $3 for kids.
Old Town
This section of Victoria focuses on
Bastion Square. The oldest section of town, the cobblestoned streets,
lined with gas lamps date from the 1860s. Once the site of Fort
Victoria, Today, this is home to nightclubs, restaurants, shops, and
cafes. You'll also find Chinatown and the Maritime Museum of British
Columbia here.
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Craigdarroch
Castle
Built in 1890 for Robert Dunsmuir,
a wealthy industrialist and politician who died just before the building
was completed.
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Craigflower Manor & Schoolhouse
One of Vancouver Island's first farming
communities, this Georgian manor dates back to 1853.
Point Ellice House & Garden
Overlooking the waters of scenic Gorge
Waterway, many people enjoy afternoon tea in the gardens of this 1867
estate.
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St.
Ann's Academy
This convent and boarding school,
established in 1858, is now open to the public.
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Government House
Occupying the same space since 1858,
fire ravaged the Government House several times, totally destroying
it. The current home of the Lieutenant Governor was finished in
1959.
Hatley Castle
Completed in 1908, the Hatley Castle
stands on the grounds of Royal Roads University.
Fisgard
Lighthouse
Built by the British in 1860, this
was the first lighthouse on Canada's west coast.
Fort Rodd Hill
A National Historic Site, Fort Rodd
Hill is a coast artillery fort built in the 1890s to defend Victoria.
Other Historical Links:
