A great part of our city was built between 1850-1900 when Victorian architecture was in flower. Some 14,000 residential examples remain, about half of which have been restored by a keepsake-conscious populace. This survival statistic is astonishing considering 514 blocks went up in flames in the wake of the 1906 earthquake. Fine examples of Victorians, our “Painted Ladies,” can be seen in Alamo Square (known as Postcard Row, located at Steiner and Hayes Street), in Pacific Heights, in the vicinity of Mission Dolores, and in Cow Hollow. Locally, there are three basic designs - Italianate, patterned after Roman Classical ornamentation, was in great vogue between 1850 and 1875. It is characterized by inward slanting bay windows, slim ribbed columns flanking the front door and flat roofs. View fine examples of these row houses near Bush and Fillmore Streets.Queen Anne Victorians, patterned after a style popular in England in the 1860s, feature rounded corners, turrets, steep gabled roofs, hooded domes, and shingled siding. The Haas-Lilienthal House, above, at 2007 Franklin  Street is a landmark Queen Anne Victorian built in the 1880’s. For tours, call 415-441-3004.Stick or Eastlake, were popular during the 1880s and are known for their ornate woodwork around doors and windows, beveled corners on pillars, horse shoe arches and three-sided bays.

Call Victorian Home Walk at 415-252-9485 for information about walkingtours. City Guides offer free walking tours of Pacific Heights. Call 415-557-4266 for a schedule of the tours offered.

Northern California¹s largest zoological park, located at Sloat Boulevard near Great Highway, includes the African Savanna, Australian Walkabout, the Lemur Forest, Bird Sanctuary, Koala Crossing, Penguin Island, Eagle Island, Insect Zoo, Gorilla Preserve, Lion House,Children's Zoo, a carousel, the zoo train, the Grizzly Gulch habitat,and lots more. Call 415-753-7080 or visit sfzoo.org for information.