The green roofed buildings in the background center are the BC Legislative Assembly Buildings. The Grecian styled building in the right foreground was built as the Canadian Pacific Steamship Terminal. More recently it was occupied by the Royal London Wax Museum. Currently it is empty though rumour has it that a new tenant will soon occupy this building. The relatively tall building on the far left is the Royal BC Museum and Imax Theatre, currently featuring dinosaurs.
Here is what is probably Victoria's most photographed view, not surprisingly since it is an attractive vista. The three most prominent buildings, despite their different styles and purposes, were all designed by Francis Rattenbury. The three are the Fairmont Empress Hotel (on the left), the Legislative Assembly Buildings (slightly right of center) and the quite Grecian-looking Royal London Wax Museum (right). The first two are still used for their original purposes. The wax museum was originally designed for use as a steamship terminal. In the midst of these striking buildings, the Inner Harbour Causeway offers a colorful pedestrian walkway with musicians and artists, craftspeople and jugglers providing entertainment to the tens of thousands of visitors and locals who enjoy it every summer. This reads like a Tourism Victoria blurb but there's no denying it's a friendly, beautiful and interesting place.
This imposing building now houses Madame Tussaud's, also known as the Royal London Wax Museum, and is located on the Inner Harbor just above yesterday's feature, the Pacific Undersea Gardens. It was built in the 1924 as the Canadian Pacific Railway Steamship Terminal by Francis Rattenbury, the architect also responsible for the Empress Hotel, the Legislative Assembly Buildings and the Crystal Gardens. Rattenbury was not the sole designer. He was assisted in this by another architect, Percy L. James. I cannot tell you what the Wax Museum is like to visit since I've never been. (You know what it's like - when you are living in a place you always put off seeing "the sights.") But you can read some reviews of this tourist attraction by clicking HERE. In any case I am very fond of the classic exterior of this building and the style it adds to the Inner Harbor.
(The historical information in this post comes from a father's day gift to me entitled "Building Victoria: Men, Myths, and Mortar"
With so much water around, Victorians engage in practically every water sport including, of course, rowing. (Or is this paddling?) In the background of this photo is the Provincial Legislative Assembly Building. The low white building on the left is a tourist facility called Pacific Undersea Gardens, where you can take the kiddies down under the surface of the Inner Harbour. The tall multi-columned building to the right is another tourist attraction, the Royal London Wax Museum, and if you like wax museums, this will be right up your alley.
