Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
British Columbia
Parliament Buildings
Impressive, gray granite buildings
house the provincial legislature.
Overlooking the Inner Harbour,
they were completed in 1898 by a
newcomer, 25-year-old Francis
Mawson Rattenbury from Leeds,
England. At night, the Neo-Classi-
cal structure is a wonderful sight,
lit by 3,300 sparkling light bulbs.
d
501 Belleville St • Map N4-P4 • 250
387 3046 • Open Jun-Sep: 8:30am-
5pm daily; Oct-May: Mon-Fri 8:30am-
5pm • www.legis.gov.bc.ca
Emily Carr House
old houses. Emily Carr, one of
Canada's best-known artists and
writers
(see p19)
, was born here
in 1871. Step into the formal
dining room to see the Carrs'
public face, then visit the crowd-
ed upstairs bedrooms, reflecting
everyday life.
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207 Government St
•
Map P6
•
250 383 5843
•
Open
May & Sep: 11am-4pm Tue-Sat;
Jun-Aug: 11am-4pm daily
•
Adm
•
www.emilycarr.com
Fairmont Empress Hotel
The luxury château-style land-
mark hotel
(see p116)
overlooking
the Inner Harbour was designed
by Rattenbury and built by the
Canadian Pacific Railway in 1908.
It is done up in grand style, with
towering brick walls partially cov-
ered in ivy. The Crystal Ballroom
shows off 18 crystal chandeliers
and a mirrored ceiling.
d
721 Gov-
ernment St
•
Map P4
•
250 384 8111
Inner Harbour
The Inner Harbour is the his-
toric center of Victoria. A mix of
yachts, fishing boats, ferries, and
float planes dock here, while
pedestrians happily stroll along a
wide, curved walkway. The har-
bor provides excellent views of
the historic parliament buildings
and the imposing Fairmont
Empress Hotel.
d
Map N3
Emily Carr House
Built in 1864, the Carr family
home typifies the sensibilities of
the Victorian era. The architecture
has been described as both
English Gingerbread and San
Francisco Victorian, inspiring the
restoration of many of the area's
Fairmont Empress Hotel, facing Inner Harbour
A Victoria Harbour Ferry trip is a wonderful way to see the sights.
Visit www.harbourferry.com or call 250 708 0201
95
