Canada Trip.co.uk

Another of the historic places you will want to have a look at while out in Halifax is the Halifax Citadel.

Located within the centre of Halifax, this fort is easy to get to from wherever you may be staying in the city. Though a little word of warning – each day at noon a cannon is fired as a symbol of Halifax’s military history.. This often comes as a great shock, being so loud, to unsuspecting tourists – so now you wont be one of them!

The current star-shaped fortress, or citadel, is formally known as Fort George and was completed in 1856, following twenty-eight years of construction. This massive masonry-construction fort was designed to repel a land-based attack by United States forces and was inspired by the designs of Louis XIV’s commissary of fortifications Sébastien Le Prestre, Seigneur de Vauban – a star-shaped hillock fortress with internal courtyard and clear harbour view from armoured ramparts.

Fort George was constructed to defend against smoothbore weaponry; it became obsolete following the introduction of more powerful rifled guns in the 1860s. British forces upgraded Fort George’s armaments to permit it to defend the harbour as well as land approaches, using heavier and more accurate long-range artillery. The role of Fort George in the defense of Halifax Harbour had evolved by the turn of the 20th century to becoming a command centre for other, more distant harbour defensive works, as well as providing barrack accommodations.

Although never attacked, Citadel Hill’s various fortifications were garrisoned by the British Army until 1906 and afterward by the Canadian Army throughout the First and Second World Wars; Fort George having been used as temporary barracks during 1939-1940 and as the coordinating point for the city’s anti-aircraft defences.

According to the historian and novelist Thomas Head Raddall, Citadel Hill was “like Vesuvius over Pompeii, a smiling monster with havoc in its belly”. Following World War II, the hill and fortifications were designated a National Historic Site and today is under the responsibility of Parks Canada. Fort George has been restored to the mid-Victorian period.

Fort George has a living history program featuring animators portraying life in the fort where soldiers of the 78th Highland Regiment, the Third Brigade of the Royal Artillery, soldiers wives, and civilian tradespersons re-enact life in 1869.

There are guided and self-guided tours available as well as an army museum, audio-visual presentations and exhibits which serve to communicate the Citadel’s role in shaping Halifax’s and North America’s history.
Approaching the Christmas season, Citadel Hill annually hosts a “Victorian Christmas”. Visitors are treated to crafts, carolers and games.

When visiting the Halifax Citadel, if you are in need for some refreshment, stop at the Citadel’s Coffee Bar. The Coffee Bar is located in the historic Cavalier Building and is sure to be a pleasant experience as you eat in the unique military surroundings. The Coffee Bar is open from May 7 to October 31 during the same hours as the Site
Within the Citadel visitors will be pleased to find a unique shopping experience in the Regimental Shop. Choose from a variety of military souvenirs, T-shirts, ornaments, books, postcards and much more. The Regimental Shop carries something for all tastes and budgets. Come in and chat with our friendly and knowledgeable staff who will be glad to assist with your selection.

The fort has a Paid Parking car park ($3.25 per visit) for 80 cars which is inside the Fort’s West Ditch

For more information about how much it costs to get in check out the citadel’s official website which will give you more information about the living history and events that will be taking place here.

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So with so much to see and do at this place its not worth missing!

Remember if you’re flying to Halifax from the UK, the best value flights are available at our reccomended company Canadian Affair, check out the link below to have a look at the latest offers:

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This entry was posted on Sunday, September 6th, 2009 at 10:14 am and is filed under Canada Trip.co.uk. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.