The landmark of Victoria
The Clocktower in Victoria, Seychelles (Lorloz in Creole) is the best-known landmark of the small capital of the Seychelles and has stood at the centre of the town for more than 120 years. While the rest of the town centre has changed enormously, with modern buildings of glass and concrete going up all around, the Clocktower has remained almost untouched. Lorloz is an elegant copy of the clock built in London in 1892 at the junction of Victoria Street and Vauxhall Bridge Road, near Victoria Station. Governor Sir Ernest Sweet-Escott admired that clock on a visit to London and ordered a similar one in memory of Queen Victoria, who died in 1901 after a reign of 63 years.
The slender cast-iron tower stands on its own on a traffic island on Independence Avenue, right in the middle of the town's traffic. You can see it from the outside, but you cannot go in. It is therefore first and foremost a photo stop and a point of orientation, from which the market, the museum, churches and temples can all be reached on foot. The London original is known as "Little Ben", by the way, and you will occasionally hear people call the tower that on Mahé too.
History and clockwork
The clock was made by Messrs Gillett of Croydon (now known as Gillett & Johnston), paid for with public donations and finally put up in 1903. That was also the year the Seychelles celebrated its new status as a Crown Colony, now governed directly by a governor sent from London rather than from Mauritius, as before. The clock was originally meant to chime as well, but this never worked. Sadly it no longer strikes every hour, since its mechanism was replaced entirely by a modern quartz movement in 1999. The work was carried out by its original makers, Gillett & Johnston, and was again partly funded by public donations. The Clocktower in Victoria is one of the national monuments of the Seychelles.
The clock no longer strikes the hour. The tower was originally painted black. It received its silver colour in 1935 for the jubilee of King George V.
Getting there
On foot
The tower stands on Independence Avenue in the centre of Victoria and can be reached from most points in the town centre within a few minutes. The market is about five minutes' walk away, and the entrance to the State House grounds is roughly 200 m to the west. It only takes a few minutes to walk to the National Museum of History.
By bus
Buses run by the Seychelles Public Transport Corporation (SPTC) connect Victoria with Beau Vallon, Anse Royale and Port Glaud, among other places. Payment is cashless: visitors need a card, which according to timetable portals is available at the airport, at SPTC offices, at post offices and at selected shops. You will find the timetable and current fares on the SPTC website.
| Ticket | Price (as of November 2026) |
|---|---|
| Single journey on Mahé | approx. SCR 12, card only |
| Visitor card 1 day | SCR 100 |
| Visitor card 4 days | SCR 198 |
| Visitor card 8 days | SCR 363 |
On weekdays the buses run from about 5 am until around 8.30 pm. The prices come from timetable portals and may change, so please check them locally.
By car or ferry
Traffic in the centre is heavy and parking is limited. It is not worth taking the car just for the Clocktower. In the Seychelles traffic drives on the left, so it pays to look both ways when crossing the road as well. If you arrive by ferry from Praslin or La Digue, you land in the port of Victoria, close to the centre.
Visiting: admission, duration, best time
Take your photos from the pavement rather than the road, as the tower stands on a busy traffic island. It is quietest early in the morning. Plan your visit for a weekday or a Saturday morning, when the market is open too, because it is closed on Sundays.
Nearby
Several other sights in Victoria are within easy walking distance from here:
- National Museum of History, housed in the restored former Supreme Court building from 1885
- Sir Selwyn Selwyn-Clarke Market with fish, fruit, spices and crafts
- Cathedral of Our Lady of Immaculate Conception and St Paul's Cathedral
- Hindu Temple Arul Mihu Navasakthi Vinayagar
- Bicentennial Monument, built in 1978 for the town's 200th anniversary
- Queen Victoria Diamond Jubilee Fountain, another nod to the queen to whom the tower is dedicated
