Halifax Citadel National Historic Site
The Citadel is the perfect introduction to Halifax: It provides a good geographic first look at the city, and anchors it in history. But even if a big stone fort weren’t here, it would still be worth the uphill trek to this site just for the astounding views—the panoramic sweep across downtown, the city’s harbor, and the Atlantic Ocean are breathtaking.
And the ascent to your goal quickly makes it obvious why this spot was chosen for Halifax’s most formidable defense: There’s simply no sneaking up on the place. Four forts have occupied this same hilltop since Col. Edward Cornwallis was posted to the colony in 1749, but today the Citadel has been restored to look much as it did in 1856, when the fourth and final fort was built out of concern over American expansionist ideas. Yet the fort has never been attacked, perhaps a testament to its effectiveness as a deterrent.
The architecture is straightforward: Sturdy granite walls topped by grassy embankments form a star. In the sprawling gravel and cobblestone courtyard, are convincingly costumed interpreters in kilts and bearskin hats marching in unison, playing bagpipes, and firing a cannon at noon. The former barracks and other chambers are home to exhibits about life at the fort. If you have questions, just stop a soldier, bagpiper, or washerwoman and ask.
Don’t expect to be alone—this National Historic Site is the most heavily visited in all of Canada. But you won’t be among the crowds for long, as it takes no more than an hour to see everything here, unless you want to linger afterward and snap lots of pics of the tableau below you. Be forewarned: The noon gun, a reproduction of a 12-pound smooth-bore muzzle loader used during the reign of King George III, is still set off daily from the Citadel, something that’s been done since 1857. It’s a fun spectacle to see (and hear) if you’re ready for it. It will make you jump if you’re not.
The Citadel is the perfect introduction to Halifax: It provides a good geographic first look at the city, and anchors it in history. But even if a big stone fort weren’t here, it would still be worth the uphill trek to this site just for the astounding views—the panoramic sweep across downtown, the city’s harbor, and the Atlantic Ocean are breathtaking.
And the ascent to your goal quickly makes it obvious why this spot was chosen for Halifax’s most formidable defense: There’s simply no sneaking up on the place. Four forts have occupied this same hilltop since Col. Edward Cornwallis was posted to the colony in 1749, but today the Citadel has been restored to look much as it did in 1856, when the fourth and final fort was built out of concern over American expansionist ideas. Yet the fort has never been attacked, perhaps a testament to its effectiveness as a deterrent.
The architecture is straightforward: Sturdy granite walls topped by grassy embankments form a star. In the sprawling gravel and cobblestone courtyard, are convincingly costumed interpreters in kilts and bearskin hats marching in unison, playing bagpipes, and firing a cannon at noon. The former barracks and other chambers are home to exhibits about life at the fort. If you have questions, just stop a soldier, bagpiper, or washerwoman and ask.
Don’t expect to be alone—this National Historic Site is the most heavily visited in all of Canada. But you won’t be among the crowds for long, as it takes no more than an hour to see everything here, unless you want to linger afterward and snap lots of pics of the tableau below you. Be forewarned: The noon gun, a reproduction of a 12-pound smooth-bore muzzle loader used during the reign of King George III, is still set off daily from the Citadel, something that’s been done since 1857. It’s a fun spectacle to see (and hear) if you’re ready for it. It will make you jump if you’re not.
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