Welcome to Victoria, the capital and largest city of Seychelles. It lies on the north-eastern side of Mahé, the main island of the archipelago. The area was first settled in 1778 by French colonists, and the town was known as L'Établissement until 1841, when the British renamed it after Queen Victoria. The city was first established as the seat of the British colonial government. Among its sights is a clock tower modelled on Little Ben in London. Let us explore its market, cathedral, museum and gardens, and then head out to sea.
Sir Selwyn Selwyn-Clarke Market
Photo: David Stanley from Nanaimo, Canada · CC BY 2.0 · Wikimedia CommonsFollow the scents of spices and fish into Victoria's main market. Built in 1840 in an early Victorian style, it sells fresh produce, fish, meat, spices and local crafts. It is also known simply as Victoria Market, but it was renamed in honour of Sir Selwyn Selwyn-Clarke, a former Governor of Seychelles. Saturdays are the busiest days, when the stalls bustle with shoppers.
Immaculate Conception Cathedral
Photo: A.Savin · FAL · Wikimedia CommonsHere stands the Immaculate Conception Cathedral, often simply called the Cathedral of Victoria. The church was built in 1874 and recalls the French colonial style. It serves as the seat of the bishop of the Diocese of Port Victoria, established in 1892 by Pope Leo the Thirteenth. You will find it close to the Clock Tower, with the Anglican Cathedral nearby too.
Seychelles National Museum of History
Photo: A.Savin · FAL · Wikimedia CommonsStep into the Seychelles National Museum of History, dedicated to the country's cultural and historical heritage. The museum was established in 1965, growing from the personal collection of Captain Archibald Webb. It is housed in the restored colonial-era Supreme Court building from 1885. On the ground floor, model ships, cannons and artefacts tell 300 years of Seychelles history, while upstairs you can discover Creole culture, from clothing to music and architecture.
National Botanical Garden of Seychelles
Photo: A.Savin · FAL · Wikimedia CommonsWander into the National Botanical Garden, also called the Mont Fleuri Botanical Garden. It was founded in 1901 by the Mauritian agronomist Paul Evenor Rivalz Dupont, who originally wanted to create an agricultural station. Today it is a hub for the preservation and study of biodiversity, with an arboretum and a Biodiversity Centre. Remarkably, the garden grows over 60 percent of the endemic flowering plants of the granitic islands of Seychelles.
Sainte Anne Marine National Park
Photo: A.Savin · FAL · Wikimedia CommonsJust 5 kilometres from Victoria, eight small islands make up the Sainte Anne Marine National Park. Created in 1973, it was the first marine park of its kind in the Indian Ocean, and fishing and water-skiing are forbidden here. Visitors come for snorkelling, scuba-diving and glass-bottom boat trips over the coral reefs, where reef sharks and colourful tropical fish glide through coral gardens. Look closely beneath the surface, too: the park has one of the largest areas of seagrass meadows in Seychelles.
Lomakuume
