Fan Tan Alley

Fan Tan Alley measures less than one meter across at its narrowest point, making it the skinniest street in Canada. It cuts through the block between Fisgard and Pandora Streets in Victoria’s Chinatown. Chinese immigrants built this passage in the early twentieth century to house gambling dens and opium dens, effectively hiding their businesses from the gaze of city authorities. Today, brick walls hold small shops and apartments, still containing the echo of the crowds who once ducked inside for a secret game.