Seychelles Capital City, About Victoria Tourism and Travel
(Seychelles, SC, Africa)
The capital of the Seychelles, Victoria, is located on the north-eastern side of Mahé Island. This is the economic hub of the Seychelles, as well as being central to regional politics and commerce.
Victoria has a fairly cosmopolitan feel, although its small size means that it's possible to quickly become familiar with the place.
The town features architecture that is a mix of modern and colonial style buildings.
Tourism and General Information
This town was originally settled by the French at the end of the 18th century. It later came under British colonial rule. In 1903, when the Seychelles became a Crown Colony and separated from
Mauritius, Victoria officially became the capital of the Seychelles. The town was named Port Victoria - shortened to Victoria, in honour of the British queen. It remains a port today and is, in fact, the only port in the whole archipelago.
Parts of Victoria are built on land reclaimed from the sea. In comparison with many capital cities, Victoria is tiny, with just 25,000 people living here. The centre is dominated by Independence Roundabout, which lies at the junction of the city's two main roads - Independence Avenue and 5th June Avenue.
Visitors can admire innumerable surviving colonial buildings and monuments, including the famous
Victoria Clock Tower and the statue of Queen Victoria. The capital is also the home of the
Seychelles National Museum of Natural History and the National Library.
Neighbouring Seychelles attractions within particularly easy reach of Victoria include De Quincy Village (north), Pascal Village (west), the Trois Freres Peak (south-west), San Souci (south) and Copolia (south). To the south-east, visitors will find Mont Fleuri, Roche Caiman and Eden Island.