Seychelles capital Victoria

The capital of the Seychelles Victoria is a small town tucked away in the shade of tropical sprawling trees. The history of the city began in the 18th century when 15 French colonists landed on the island and created the first settlement of Port Royal. When the islands came under English rule the city was renamed in honor of the Queen of England and took its current name.

Victoria has several sights worth seeing.

Clock Tower

The Clock Tower is located in the center of Victoria at the intersection of Independance Avenue and Revolution Avenue. It is one of frequently photographed landmarks. It is a miniature replica of Ben Clock Tower in Westminster. The Governor of Mahe during his visit to London was so impressed by the beauty of the clock tower that he ordered a replica of it for the Seychelles in honor of Queen Victoria. Unlike the original, the Seychelles watch was painted silver and adorned with four lanterns. Next to the clock tower is a stone on which it is written that the watch was installed in 1903 in honor of Queen Victoria. Another surprising fact: the clock was supposed to strike once an hour. But the first time the Seychellois heard the clock tower chime was in 1999 when the clock's mechanism was replaced.

Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception

While Seychelles was still under British rule, the Cathedral of Our Lady of Immaculate Conception located in Victoria on Oliver Maradana Street near the market was completed in 1874. We recommend including this landmark as part of your walking itinerary in Victoria. The cathedral's massive columns and arches showcase the distinctive French colonial style. There is a clock on the facade of the cathedral that strikes twice an hour. Locals joke that it's there so that Capuchin monks hear the hour to sober up and wake up after a night of drinking. The cathedral is also home to the tomb of Felix Paul who was only Bishop in the history of the Seychelles. To the left of the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in Victoria stretches upward La Domus which was built for the Swiss Capuchin order in 1933. It is now a seminary.

The courthouse

On the corner of Independence Avenue next to the Clock Tower is one of the capital's architectural landmarks built in the early twentieth century and a fine example of Victorian architecture. In the garden you can admire a small fountain and a copy of the statue of Queen Victoria the original of which is in the National Museum of History of Seychelles. It was installed in 1900 to commemorate the 60th anniversary of the Queen's reign. Behind the courthouse you can also see the bust of the famous botanist Pierre Poivre creator of the Royal Gardens and Intendant of Mauritius.

Monument of the 200th anniversary

Monument of the 200th anniversary is unusual snow-white sculpture was created by the Italian master Lorenzo Appiani in 1987 and was installed in the city center to commemorate the 200th anniversary of human life in the Seychelles. The locals call this sculpture "three wings" each of which symbolizes the unity of Africa, Europe and Asia - the three continents from which the first inhabitants to the Seychelles arrived. Although as early as the 9th-10th century Arab traders made reference to the "high islands" beyond the Maldives and even English sailors landed on Mahe in 1609 the islands remained uninhabited until the late 18th century when in 1770-1778 a French businessman Bryer du Barret arrived here with the first settlers.

National Museum of Seychelles History

If you don't have enough time and can visit only one museum in Victoria make sure you go to the National History Museum on Mahe! The museum is located in the solemn and stately building of the National Library. There are many interesting exhibits such as the miniature statue of Queen Victoria, objects recovered from shipwrecks, folk costumes, musical instruments. The oldest map of Seychelles made in 1517 by Portuguese navigator Pedro Reynel is also presented in this museum. Another important exhibit is the Stone of Possession which was laid in 1756 by French Captain Cornel Nicolas Morphy to mark the declaration of the islands as French territory. It was then that the islands were named after the French Minister of Finance. A separate section of the Seychelles National Museum of History is dedicated to the black magic of gris-gris and slavery. It is worth noting that even today some Seychellois still practice black magic passed here from Africa.

Address: National Library, Francis Rachel Street. Tel: 321-333. Opening hours: 08:30-16:30 on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays and 09:00-13:00 on Saturdays. There is a fee for admission.

Museum of Natural History

The Seychelles Museum of Natural History features a rare collection of moths and butterflies, endemic birds, stuffed green and rare bisected turtles, the skulls of extinct Nile crocodiles and even a mutant piglet in alcohol. In the interactive kiosk you can listen to the singing of rare birds that live in great numbers in the Seychelles. On the second floor of the museum you can see various engravings depicting scenes from local life and the tropical plants of the islands. The author of the paintings is Marianne Norton an artist from Victoria who traveled to the islands in the late twentieth century. The original works are preserved in the English botanical garden at Kew Gardens. At the entrance to the Museum of Natural History of the Seychelles as if for the edification of mankind is a monument of Nile crocodile life-size. The fact is that these vicious predators once lived in Aldabra. Their fate can also repeat (and perhaps already have) the rare dugongs. The last time they were seen on Aldabra was in 2002.

Address: Victoria, Independance Avenue Tel: 321-333 Opening hours: 08:30-16:30 on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays and 08:30-16:30 on Saturdays. Admission is charged.

Sir Selwyn Clark Market

In any exotic country we always recommend visiting the local food market. It is in such "bazaars" that you can get a feel for the national color, see the locals at their daily activities, taste exotic fruits, appreciate the variety of seafood and fish caught in the local waters in the morning and buy exotic edible "souvenirs". Sir Selwyn Clark's colourful market on Market Street is particularly buzzing on Saturdays when locals rush to buy of vegetables, fruit and the morning catch fish at good prices. There are several souvenir stores on the second floor of the complex where you can buy magnets, figurines, plates, unusual coconut and seashell products, and beachwear.

Arul Mihu Navarasakti Vinayagar Temple

One of the most visited places in the Seychelles and one of the most photographed is the colorful roof of the Vinayagar Hindu God Temple. This brightly colored building was built in 1992 on Quincy Street. The temple provides a place of worship for the approximately 5,000 Hindus living in Victoria. You can take off your shoes and leave them at the entrance to visit this small temple.

Mosque in Victoria

Mahe is home to many different religious faiths that coexist in harmony which explains the presence of this small mosque in Victoria. The golden dome of the building contrasts strongly with the surrounding greenery.

St. Paul's Cathedral

This church is located on Avenue de la Revolucion, opposite the Clock Tower. It is the oldest and largest Anglican church in the Seychelles. It is also considered the second monument of the archipelago. Consecrated in 1859 by the first Bishop of Mauritius and renovated in the early 21st century the church can accommodate 800 people twice as many as before. Since 1920, Seychelles and Mauritius have separated their dioceses, with St. Paul as the second bishop.