Page 256 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Pacific Northwest

254  P A CIFIC NOR THWEST REGION B Y REGION

Y Thunderbird Park and Upper Rotundas; the
Belleville & Douglas Sts. former, a perfect octagon, has
This compact park, at the a beautiful Italian mosaic floor.
entrance to the Royal BC British Columbia’s history
Museum (see pp256–7), is home is depicted throughout the
to an imposing collection of plain buildings. A statue of explorer
and painted giant totem poles. Captain George Vancouver
During the summer, First Nations perches on top of the main
artists carved these handsome dome. Inside, large murals
totems in the Thunderbird Park painted during the Great
Carving Studio. The poles show Depression show scenes
and preserve the legends of from BC history.
many different First Nations
of the Northwest Coast. Also in
the park, the Kwakwaka’wakw The spectacular main dome of the
big house, built in 1952, is a Parliament Buildings
replica of a 19th-century big
house in Fort Rupert. since 1956, though the buildings
were first lit up as early as 1887,
in celebration of Queen Victoria’s
diamond jubilee.
Designed by Francis Rattenbury
in 1892, the buildings were
completed in 1897, replacing the Emily Carr House, where the renowned
“Bird Cages,” BC’s first parliament artist lived as a child
buildings. (The carriage house
on Superior Street behind the P Emily Carr House
Parliament Buildings is the only 207 Government St. Tel (250) 383-
remaining Bird Cage structure.) 5843. Open May–Sep: 11am–4pm
Rattenbury, a 25-year-old British Tue–Sat. & 7 8 =
architect who had arrived in ∑ emilycarr.com
British Columbia only the Emily Carr, one of Canada’s best-
year before, won a national known artists (see p215), was
competition to design the born in 1871 in this attractive
buildings. He went on to 1864 clapboard house.
Giant totem poles, a signature feature of design several of the province’s Rooms are furnished in late
Thunderbird Park landmarks, the Empress Hotel 19th-century period style, with
and Crystal Garden included. some original family pieces.
P Parliament Buildings The stone-and-marble Carr taught her first art classes
501 Belleville St. Tel (250) 387-3046. buildings are home to the to local children in the dining
Open 9am–5pm daily. Provincial Legislature. The room, while the sitting room
Closed Jan 1, Dec 25. 7 8 Legislative Chamber, where the was where she did her first
Facing the Inner Harbour, assembly sits, is upstairs, off a sketches as an eight-year-
Victoria’s many-domed small gallery that boasts lovely old. Carr’s drawing of her father
Parliament Buildings are an stained-glass windows by William is still on display. Reproductions
impressive sight, particularly Morris. Visitors can view assembly of Emily Carr’s artwork hang
at night when the façades are sessions from the third-floor in the Morning Room; the
illuminated by thousands of public galleries. A magnificent People’s Gallery exhibits works
lights. This has been a tradition dome caps the nearby Lower of contemporary Canadian
artists. The English garden
showcases plants popular
during the Victorian era.
Y Beacon Hill Park
Douglas St & Dallas Rd. Tel (250)
361-0600. Open daily. 7
∑ beaconhillpark.ca
In the late 19th century, this
delightful park was being used
for stabling horses. In 1888,
John Blair, a Scottish landscape
gardener, redesigned the
park to include two lakes
The Legislative Chamber at Victoria’s Parliament Buildings and initiated extensive tree
For hotels and restaurants see pp290–91 and pp304–5

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