First a trading post, and then a gold-rush town, a naval base, and a sleepy provincial capital, Victoria bears architectural witness to all these eras. What Vancouver mostly demolished, Victoria saved, so you really do have a feast of heritage buildings to enjoy. The best of Victoria's buildings date from the pre-World War I years, when gold poured in from the Fraser and Klondike rivers, fueling a building boom responsible for most of downtown.
Perhaps the most intriguing downtown edifice isn't a building but a work of art. The walls of Fort Victoria, which once spanned much of downtown, have been demarcated in the sidewalk with bricks bearing the names of original settlers and traders. Look on the sidewalk on the corner of Government and Fort streets.
Most of the retail establishments in Victoria's Old Town area are housed in 19th-century shipping warehouses that have been carefully restored as part of a heritage-reclamation program. You can take a self-guided tour of the buildings, most of which were erected between the 1870s and 1890s; their history is recounted on easy-to-read outdoor plaques. The majority of the restored buildings are between Douglas and Government streets from Wharf Street to Johnson Street. The most impressive structure once housed a number of shipping offices and warehouses, and is now the home of a 45-shop complex known as Market Square, 560 Johnson St./255 Market Sq. (tel. 250/386-2441).
Some of the British immigrants who settled Vancouver Island during the 19th century built magnificent estates and mansions. In addition to architect Francis Rattenbury's crowning turn-of-the-20th-century achievements -- the provincial Legislature Buildings, 501 Belleville St. (completed in 1898), and the opulent Fairmont Empress, 721 Government St. (completed in 1908) -- you'll find a number of other magnificent historic architectural sites.
Helmcken House, 610 Elliot St. Sq. (tel. 250/356-7226), is the oldest house in B.C. still standing on its original site. Dr. John Sebastian Helmcken, a surgeon with the Hudson's Bay Company, set up house here in 1852 when he married the daughter of Governor Sir James Douglas. Originally a three-room log cabin, the house was built by Helmcken and expanded as both the prosperity and size of the family grew. It still contains its original furnishings, imported from England. Helmcken went on to become a statesman and helped negotiate the entry of British Columbia as a province into Canada. Helmcken House is open daily May through September from 10am to 5pm. Admission is C$5 (US$4/£2.25) for adults, C$4 (US$3.50/£1.80) for seniors and students, and C$3 (US$2.50/£1.35) for children.
Another Victoria Teahouse -- On a promontory above the Gorge Waterway, the completely restored Point Ellice House, 2616 Pleasant St. (tel. 250/380-6506), was the summer gathering place for much of Victoria's elite. From mid-May to mid-September, it's open for 30-minute guided tours daily from noon to 5pm; admission is the same as for Carr House, above. Point Ellice is also one of the better spots for afternoon tea. The easiest way to reach the house is by harbor ferry from in front of The Fairmont Empress for C$4 (US$3.20/£1.80) one-way.
