Craigdarroch Castle

Craigdarroch Castle is a Victorian mansion on a hill above downtown Victoria, British Columbia, built in the late 1880s for the coal baron Robert Dunsmuir. Dunsmuir was a Scottish-born industrialist who made his fortune from the coal mines of Vancouver Island and became the richest man in the province. He wanted a house to rival any other in the country, and he named it after his birthplace, Craigdarroch, meaning rocky oak place in Scots Gaelic. Dunsmuir died in 1889 before the house was finished, and his widow Joan lived there until her death in 1908. The site lies on the traditional territories of the lək̓ʷəŋən peoples, the Songhees and Esquimalt Nations, whose Indigenous history long predates the castle.

The house is a fine example of the Victorian Romanesque style, with towers, turrets, steep roofs and walls of stone, and it looks like a Scottish castle that has been placed on a Pacific hillside. The design was by an architect from Portland, Oregon, and the building took several years to complete. Inside, the house has four floors and dozens of rooms, with ornate woodwork, stained glass, carved fireplaces, painted ceilings and period furnishings. The grand staircase and the great hall impress visitors as they enter, and the tower, reached by a narrow stair, provides views across the city, the Strait of Juan de Fuca and, on clear days, the Olympic Mountains.

After the Dunsmuir family left, the building took on several different roles. It was used as a military hospital during the First World War, then as a college, and later housed the offices of the school board. These many lives add layers to the story, and a restoration, led by volunteers, brought it back to its present state in the 1970s. Today a historical society runs it as a museum, and the rooms are furnished to show how a wealthy family lived and how servants worked behind the scenes.

Visits are usually self-guided, with panels and displays that explain each room, and it is easy to spend an hour or more exploring. Special exhibitions and seasonal events, such as holiday decorations, change the experience through the year. The castle is also the setting for tours and educational programs, and staff are happy to answer questions.

The castle is a short drive or bus ride from the Inner Harbour, and the walk up the hill is steep but rewarding. Visitors should check opening days, hours and ticket arrangements before going, since they change with the season and include discounts for various groups. It suits architecture lovers, history fans and families, and it pairs well with a visit to Government House gardens nearby or the Art Gallery of Greater Victoria.