Victorian homes in San Francisco, CA

When people think of San Francisco, very popularly familiar images often come to mind: The Golden Gate Bridge, Coit Tower, and the Pyramid Building just to name a few. What many people don't realize is that San Francisco's uniquely distinct architecture extends to its residential homes and buildings throughout the city as well.

It is estimated that almost 48,000 Victorian homes were built between the Gold Rush and 1915. Though many houses were destroyed in the fire after the Great Earthquake in 1906, the fire was fairly contained at Van Ness Avenue, so many of the grand Victorians of yesteryear can still be seen in their splendor in today's Pacific Heights, Western Addition, and Haight-Ashbury districts. Although many of the properties are no longer single family residences, they have retained their grace, elegance, and timeless beauty.

Victorian houses were being built all over the country during this time, but San Francisco's Victorians were distinct in that they were built with the ample, cheap, and malleable coastal redwood found in Northern California; and the architectural styles were heavily influenced by the influx of peoples who came to settle San Francisco from all the corners of the world. Those combined influences can still be seen today throughout the city in bursts of brilliant remodels and clever updates which somehow stay true to the original concepts.

There are a variety of Victorian styles with defining characteristics such as the Italianate, Gothic Revival, Queen Anne, Stick/Eastlake, and Second Empire- which is also sometimes called French Baroque or Parisian Belle Epoch. These Victorians have distinctly inspired particularities- such as the flat roofs and overhanging eves that distinguish the Italianate from other the styles, or the steep roofs and slanted Bay windows that make the Queen Anne easily identifiable.

San Francisco also boasts Mission and Spanish Colonial, Marina, Craftsman style, and English Tudor homes. The original details, rich and varied colors, and tasteful updates make touring San Francisco homes a definite “must” on every vacation itinerary.