BC Victoria Now and Then

Victoria is the capital of British Columbia and one of the oldest cities in Canada. This capital has evolved from a trading and commercial hub in the 19^th century to a tourist hotspot and a city of government nowadays. In this post, we are taking the opportunity to compare a few recent photographs in Victoria to the digitized records from The Chung Collection, Uno Langmann Family Collection of British Columbia Photographs, and UBC Archives Photograph Collection. If you would like to take a peek at the city illustrations, we recommended checking out our blog post published in 2012 – Illustrated Victoria.

British Columbia Parliament Buildings

Located in Victoria downtown, the Parliament Buildings were constructed in 1893 and have been opened since 1898. The Parliament Buildings are not only home to the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia but also open to visitors.

Now

Then

Parliament Buildings, Victoria, B.C., [between 1920 and 1930?]

Parliament building, Victoria

Inner Harbour

Inner Harbour is probably the most popular tourist area in Victoria, and one of the most breathtaking ports in the world. Walking the Inner Harbour pathways, you can enjoy the picturesque waterfront, and the views of Parliament Buildings and Empress Hotel.

Now

Then

Inner harbour Victoria, British Columbia, [1900?]

Inner Harbor and Empress Hotel from Parliament Buildings, Victoria, B.C., [between 1935 and 1945?]

Empress Hotel

Along with the Parliament buildings, the Empress Hotel is another dominant feature of the Inner Harbour. Opened in 1908, the Empress Hotel is one of the iconic hotels in the world. You can explore the history of the Empress Hotel in one of our blog posts that features this historic hotel.

Now

Then

Empress Hotel, Victoria, BC, [1910?]

Empress Hotel, Victoria, B.C., [between 1920 and 1930?]

Craigdarroch Castle

Craigdarroch Castle is another landmark and popular filming location in Victoria. This legendary mansion has been here for 132 years, and once served as a military hospital, Victoria College and the Victoria Conservatory of Music.

Now