Victoria (British Columbia)

The region of current Victoria was first inhabited by Coast Salish First Nations peoples. Upon the arrival of Europeans, Victoria was founded on Vancouver Island in 1843 as Fort Camosun as a Hudson's Bay Company post. It was later renamed Fort Victoria, after Queen Victoria. When Vancouver Island became a crown colony, a town was laid out on the site in 1851 and 1852. That town was named Victoria. It was made the capital of the colony.

With the discovery of gold on the British Columbia mainland in 1858, Victoria became the port, supply base and outfitting center for miners on their way to the Cariboo gold fields. In 1866, Vancouver Island was administratively united with the mainland. Victoria remained the capital of the colony and became the provincial capital of British Columbia in 1871.

Nowadays, Victoria is the largest city on Vancouver Island. It is the region's main port and business center. In addition to its importance as the seat of provincial government, Victoria is a popular residential city because of its mild climate, the beautiful scenery and its many parks such as Beacon Hill Park and drives. For the same reasons, it is a popular holiday center for American and Canadian tourists. Victoria boasts sawmills and woodworking plants, fish-processing factories, grain elevators and cold-storage plants. The city is the base of a deep-sea fishing fleet. There is a large naval installation not far from town. Victoria is the seat of the Dominion Astrophysical Observatory and the University of Victoria.

The center of Victoria offers many pedestrian-only areas. There are numerous public squares and walking streets lined with shops, cafés and other businesses. Dallas Road is also a nice place for walking, biking, or jogging. It is a waterfront trail. It has a picnic area at Clover Point. Another nice trail is the David Foster Harbour Pathway, which runs around the inner harbour between the southern start at Ogden and Rock Bay at its northern tip. There are also many parks in the city. Beacon Hill Park is the Victoria's main urban green space. It boasts many exotic species of plants and animals such as wild peacocks. There is also a small zoo. Victoria's parks also include a few places where natural Garry oak grow. It's an increasingly scarce ecosystem that once dominated the region.

Many touristas arrive on cruise ships that dock at Ogden Point, not far from the city's Inner Harbour. There are many hotels, cafés, bars and restaurants in downtown Victoria. There is a public swimming pool called Crystal Pool, but it is surprisingly small, so most locals go to Oak Bay and Saanich, where larger pools are found.

Victoria is in the southwest of Canada, on Vancouver Island and Juan de Fuca Strait. It is 3580 km west from Ottawa and not far from the border with the United States.

There are several places of interest around Victoria. North of the city is Saanich Peninsula. On the peninsula you'll find the marine biology Shaw Ocean Discovery Centre. Nearby is Butchart Gardens in Brentwood Bay. it is one of the biggest tourist and local resident attractions on Vancouver Island. Also in the vicinity are the Dominion Astrophysical Observatory, Victoria Butterfly Gardens and the Centre of the Universe planetarium. Some 17 km north from Saanich core is Butchart Gardens; a botanical garden and National Historic Site. Nearby is the CFB Esquimalt navy base that has a nice museum.