Citadel Hill (Fort George)
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Citadel Hill is a National Historic Site in
Halifax, Nova Scotia Halifax is the capital and most populous municipality of the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian province of Nova Scotia, and the most populous municipality in Atlantic Canada. As of 2024, it is estimated that the population of the H ...
, Canada. Four fortifications have been constructed on Citadel Hill since the city was founded by the British in 1749, and were referred to as Fort George—but only the third fort (built between 1794 and 1800) was officially named Fort George. According to General Orders of October 20, 1798, it was named after King George III. The first two and the fourth and current fort, were officially called the Halifax Citadel. The last is a concrete
star fort A bastion fort or ''trace italienne'' (a phrase derived from non-standard French, meaning 'Italian outline') is a fortification in a style developed during the early modern period in response to the ascendancy of gunpowder weapons such as c ...
. The Citadel is the fortified summit of Citadel Hill. The hill was first fortified in 1749, the year that Edward Cornwallis oversaw the development of the town of Halifax. Those fortifications were successively rebuilt to defend the town from various enemies. Construction and leveling have lowered the summit by ten to twelve metres. While never attacked, the Citadel was long the keystone to defence of the strategically important
Halifax Harbour Halifax Harbour is a large natural harbour on the Atlantic coast of Nova Scotia, Canada, located in the Halifax Regional Municipality. Halifax largely owes its existence to the harbour, being one of the largest and deepest ice-free natural har ...
and its
Royal Navy Dockyard Royal Navy Dockyards (more usually termed Royal Dockyards) were state-owned harbour facilities where ships of the Royal Navy were built, based, repaired and refitted. Until the mid-19th century the Royal Dockyards were the largest industrial c ...
. Today,
Parks Canada Parks Canada ()Parks Canada is the applied title under the Federal Identity Program; the legal title is Parks Canada Agency (). is the agency of the Government of Canada which manages the country's 37 National Parks, three National Marine Co ...
operates the site as the Halifax Citadel National Historic Site of Canada. It has restored the fort to its appearance when built in the
Victorian era In the history of the United Kingdom and the British Empire, the Victorian era was the reign of Queen Victoria, from 20 June 1837 until her death on 22 January 1901. Slightly different definitions are sometimes used. The era followed the ...
.


Predecessors


First Citadel (1749–1776)

The British founded Halifax in 1749 to establish a presence in Nova Scotia as a counterbalance to the French stronghold of
Louisbourg Louisbourg is an unincorporated community and former town in Cape Breton Regional Municipality, Nova Scotia. History The harbour had been used by European mariners since at least the 1590s, when it was known as English Port and Havre à l'An ...
, which had been returned to French control the previous year by the Treaty of Aix-la-Chapelle (1748). Halifax was a strategic centre during the next decade in the continuing Anglo-French rivalry in the region. The British had recruited Protestant settlers from England, the Palatine, and Switzerland, and constructed fortifications to protect them against raids by the French, colonial Acadians, and allies from the
Wabanaki Confederacy The Wabanaki Confederacy (''Wabenaki, Wobanaki'', translated to "People of the Dawn" or "Easterner"; also: Wabanakia, "Dawnland") is a North American First Nations and Native American confederation of five principal Eastern Algonquian nations ...
(primarily the Mi'kmaq). This conflict is known to some historians as
Father Le Loutre's War Father Le Loutre's War (1749–1755), also known as the Indian War, the Mi'kmaq War and the Anglo-Mi'kmaq War, took place between King George's War and the French and Indian War in Acadia and Nova Scotia. On one side of the conflict, the Kingdo ...
. The war began shortly after Edward Cornwallis, appointed Governor of Nova Scotia, arrived on June 21, 1749, to establish Halifax. He traveled on a sloop of war, followed by 13 transports (some sources say 15) that carried a total of 1,176–2500 settlers. On September 11, 1749, Cornwallis wrote to the
Board of Trade The Board of Trade is a British government body concerned with commerce and industry, currently within the Department for Business and Trade. Its full title is The Lords of the Committee of the Privy Council appointed for the consideration of ...
, which supervised this colonial effort: :"The Square at the top of the Hill is finished. These squares are done with double picquets, each picquet ten foot long and six inches thick. They likewise clear a Space of without the Line and throw up the Trees by way of Barricade. When this work is compleated I shall think the Town as secure against Indians as if it was regularly fortify'd." The first fort was a small redoubt, with a flagstaff and guardhouse near the summit just east of the south ravelin of the present
citadel A citadel is the most fortified area of a town or city. It may be a castle, fortress, or fortified center. The term is a diminutive of ''city'', meaning "little city", because it is a smaller part of the city of which it is the defensive core. ...
.Thomas B. Akins. ''History of Halifax City.'' Brook House Press. 2002 reprint. p. 209 It was part of the western perimeter wall for the old city, which was protected by five stockaded forts. The others were Horsemans Fort, Cornwallis Fort, Fort Lutrell, and Grenadier Fort. The British also built Fort Charlotte - named after King George's wife Charlotte - on Georges Island in 1750. The fortified city walls, guarded by five stockaded forts to protect against Mi'kmaq, Acadian, and French attacks, was the centre of a network of fortifications Cornwallis built. Others included Bedford ( Fort Sackville) (1749), Dartmouth (1750), Lunenburg (1753) and Lawrencetown (1754). During
Father Le Loutre's War Father Le Loutre's War (1749–1755), also known as the Indian War, the Mi'kmaq War and the Anglo-Mi'kmaq War, took place between King George's War and the French and Indian War in Acadia and Nova Scotia. On one side of the conflict, the Kingdo ...
, the soldiers guarding Halifax were constantly on alert. The Mi'kmaq and Acadians raided the capital region (Halifax and Dartmouth) 12 times, four times against Halifax itself. The worst of these raids was what the British call the Dartmouth Massacre (1751). The first raid was in July 1750: the Mi'kmaq scalped Cornwallis' gardener, his son, and four others whom they had caught in the woods near Halifax. They buried the son, left the gardener's body exposed, and carried off the other four bodies. In 1751, two attacks were made on blockhouses surrounding Halifax. The Mi'kmaq attacked the North Blockhouse (located at the north end of Joseph Howe Drive) and killed the men on guard. They also attacked near the South Blockhouse (located at the south end of Joseph Howe Drive), at a sawmill on a stream flowing from Chocolate Lake into the
Northwest Arm The Northwest Arm, originally named Sandwich River, is an inlet in eastern Canada off the Atlantic Ocean in Nova Scotia's Halifax Regional Municipality. Geography Part of Halifax Harbour, it measures approximately 3.5 km in length and 0.5 ...
. They killed two men.
Map of Halifax Blockhouses
In 1753, when Lawrence became governor of Nova Scotia, the Mi'kmaq again attacked the sawmills near the South Blockhouse on the Northwest Arm, where they killed three British. The Mi'kmaq made three attempts to retrieve the bodies for their scalps. Prominent Halifax business person
Michael Francklin Michael Francklin or Franklin (6 December 1733 – 8 November 1782) served as Nova Scotia's Lieutenant Governor from 1766 to 1772. He is buried in the crypt of St. Paul's Church (Halifax). Early life and immigration Born in Poole, England, ...
was captured by a
Mi'kmaw The Mi'kmaq (also ''Mi'gmaq'', ''Lnu'', ''Mi'kmaw'' or ''Mi'gmaw''; ; , and formerly Micmac) are an Indigenous group of people of the Northeastern Woodlands, native to the areas of Canada's Atlantic Provinces, primarily Nova Scotia, New Bru ...
raiding party in 1754 and held captive for three months. Adult captives were often held for ransom, to be raised by families or local communities The stockaded forts were also instrumental to the British during the
French and Indian War The French and Indian War, 1754 to 1763, was a colonial conflict in North America between Kingdom of Great Britain, Great Britain and Kingdom of France, France, along with their respective Native Americans in the United States, Native American ...
(the North American theatre of the
Seven Years' War The Seven Years' War, 1756 to 1763, was a Great Power conflict fought primarily in Europe, with significant subsidiary campaigns in North America and South Asia. The protagonists were Kingdom of Great Britain, Great Britain and Kingdom of Prus ...
). British soldiers stationed in Halifax helped conduct the
expulsion of the Acadians The Expulsion of the Acadians was the forced removal of inhabitants of the North American region historically known as Acadia between 1755 and 1764 by Great Britain. It included the modern Canadian Maritime provinces of Nova Scotia, New Br ...
, as many Acadians were imprisoned on Georges Island in Halifax harbour before their deportation. During the war, the Mi'kmaq and Acadians resisted the British throughout the province. On 2 April 1756, the Mi'kmaq were paid a bounty from the Governor of Quebec for 12 British scalps taken at Halifax. Acadian Pierre Gautier, son of
Joseph-Nicolas Gautier Joseph-Nicolas Gautier dit Bellair (16891752) was one of the wealthiest Acadians as a merchant trader and a leader of the Acadian militia. He participated in war efforts against the British during King George's War King George's War (1744–1 ...
, led Mi'kmaq warriors from Louisbourg on three raids against Halifax in 1757. In each raid, Gautier took prisoners or scalps or both. During the last raid in September, Gautier, with four Mi'kmaq warriors, killed and scalped two British men at the foot of Citadel Hill. In July 1759, Mi'kmaq and Acadians killed five British in Dartmouth, opposite McNabb's Island. By 1761, the condition of the Halifax Citadel had deteriorated, and the British built a new one. Although plans were drafted in 1761, construction was delayed due to events of the Seven Years War. Given the threat of attack from rebels in the British Thirteen Colonies after the American Revolutionary War started in 1776, the British constructed the Second Citadel in an enlarged version of the 1761 plans.


Second Citadel (1776–1795)

The first major permanent fortification were completed on Citadel Hill during the American Revolution. Built in 1776, the new fort on Citadel Hill was composed of multiple lines of overlapping earthen
redan Redan (a French language, French word for "projection", "salient") is a feature of fortifications. It is a work in a V-shaped Salients, re-entrants and pockets, salient angle towards an expected attack. It can be made from earthworks or other ...
s backing a large outer palisade wall. At the center was a three-story octagonal blockhouse mounting a fourteen-gun battery and accommodating 100 troops. These works required that the hill be cut down by . The entire fortress mounted 72 guns. Citadel Hill and the associated harbour defence fortifications afforded the
Royal Navy The Royal Navy (RN) is the naval warfare force of the United Kingdom. It is a component of His Majesty's Naval Service, and its officers hold their commissions from the King of the United Kingdom, King. Although warships were used by Kingdom ...
the most secure and strategic base in eastern North America from its
Halifax Dockyard Halifax commonly refers to: *Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada *Halifax, West Yorkshire, England * Halifax (bank), a British bank Halifax may also refer to: Places Australia *Halifax, Queensland, a coastal town in the Shire of Hinchinbrook * Halifax ...
commanding the
Great Circle Route Great-circle navigation or orthodromic navigation (related to orthodromic course; ) is the practice of navigation, navigating a vessel (a ship or aircraft) along a great circle. Such routes yield the shortest distance between two points on the ...
to western Europe and gave Halifax the nickname "Warden of The North". The massive British military presence in Halifax focused through Citadel Hill and the Royal Navy's dockyard is thought to be one of the main reasons that Nova Scotia—the fourteenth British colony—remained loyal to the Crown throughout and after the
American Revolutionary War The American Revolutionary War (April 19, 1775 – September 3, 1783), also known as the Revolutionary War or American War of Independence, was the armed conflict that comprised the final eight years of the broader American Revolution, in which Am ...
. Neither French nor American forces attacked Citadel Hill during the American Revolution. But the garrison remained on guard because of the numerous rebel American
privateer A privateer is a private person or vessel which engages in commerce raiding under a commission of war. Since robbery under arms was a common aspect of seaborne trade, until the early 19th century all merchant ships carried arms. A sovereign o ...
raids on villages around the province (such as the Raid on Lunenburg), and the naval battles off the shore of Halifax. By 1784 the fortification was in ruins except for the blockhouse. During the
French Revolutionary Wars The French Revolutionary Wars () were a series of sweeping military conflicts resulting from the French Revolution that lasted from 1792 until 1802. They pitted French First Republic, France against Kingdom of Great Britain, Great Britain, Habsb ...
, the British Commander-in-Chief, North America, Prince Edward, found the fortifications inadequate for the city's defence. Although plans for the Third Citadel were drafted in 1795, construction for the new fortification did not begin until 1796, after the Second Citadel was dismantled.


Third Citadel (1796–1828)

The
French Revolutionary Wars The French Revolutionary Wars () were a series of sweeping military conflicts resulting from the French Revolution that lasted from 1792 until 1802. They pitted French First Republic, France against Kingdom of Great Britain, Great Britain, Habsb ...
that began in 1793 raised a new threat to Halifax. A new citadel was designed in 1794 and completed by 1800. Much of the work was inspired by
Prince Edward, Duke of Kent Prince Edward, Duke of Kent (Edward George Nicholas Paul Patrick; born 9 October 1935) is a member of the British royal family. The elder son of Prince George, Duke of Kent, and Princess Marina of Greece and Denmark, he is a grandson of George ...
, the fourth son of King George III and the father of Queen Victoria, who was posted to Halifax as Commander-in-chief from 1794 to 1800. The top of the hill was levelled and lowered a further to accommodate a larger fortress on the summit. It resembled the outline of the final Citadel, comprising four bastions surrounding a central barracks and magazine, but used mainly earthwork walls. One bastion was constructed by
Jamaican Maroons Jamaican Maroons descend from Africans who freed themselves from slavery in the Colony of Jamaica and established communities of Free black people in Jamaica, free black people in the island's mountainous interior, primarily in the eastern Pari ...
, who were transported from the Caribbean. Prince Edward, also commissioned the
Halifax Town Clock The Town Clock, also sometimes called the Old Town Clock or Citadel Clock Tower, is a clock tower located at Fort George in the urban core of Halifax, the capital city of Nova Scotia. History Prince Edward, Duke of Kent, the commander-in ...
in 1800 prior to his return to England. The Halifax Town Clock opened on 20 October 1803, at a location on the east slope of Citadel Hill on Barrack (now Brunswick) Street. It continues to keep time for the community in the 21st century. Nova Scotia's first Tel-graph system developed to pass on news of approaching ships to the Citadel and extended to Annapolis Royal. This system of flag communications begins at the Camperdown Signal Station, just north of Duncan's Cove. The Third Citadel received hasty repairs and a new magazine during the
War of 1812 The War of 1812 was fought by the United States and its allies against the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, United Kingdom and its allies in North America. It began when the United States United States declaration of war on the Uni ...
in case of an American raid, but the British did not construct new fortifications. The significant British
Royal Navy The Royal Navy (RN) is the naval warfare force of the United Kingdom. It is a component of His Majesty's Naval Service, and its officers hold their commissions from the King of the United Kingdom, King. Although warships were used by Kingdom ...
presence in this area made an American siege unlikely. By 1825 all the works except the powder magazine were in ruins, and a new citadel was being designed.


Present Citadel (1828–present)

Construction for the present citadel began in 1828. However, the star-shaped fortress was not completed until in 1856, during the
Victorian Era In the history of the United Kingdom and the British Empire, the Victorian era was the reign of Queen Victoria, from 20 June 1837 until her death on 22 January 1901. Slightly different definitions are sometimes used. The era followed the ...
, for a total of 28 years of construction. This massive masonry-construction fort was designed to repel both a land-based attack or attack from the water by
United States The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...
forces and was inspired by the designs of Louis XIV's commissary of fortifications Sébastien Le Prestre, Seigneur de Vauban. It was a star-shaped hillock citadel with internal courtyard and a clear harbour view from armoured ramparts. The shape of the hill and the "moat area" were structured so as to give multiple lines of fire from defenders. In case of overwhelming attack, portions of the hill had tunnels which could be packed with explosives and detonated from the fort; these tunnels extend about 100 feet from the outerwalls and are T-shaped, the top of the T about 50 feet wide. Brick walled about 4 feet high and 4 feet wide, the top is made of stone slabs topped with gravel, then dirt and sod. The intention was that gravel would act as shrapnel. Between 1820 and 1831, the British had constructed a similar, albeit larger, citadel in Quebec City known as the Citadel of Quebec. The soldiers at the Halifax Citadel were on alert when Nova Scotia became the site of two international incidents during the
American Civil War The American Civil War (April 12, 1861May 26, 1865; also known by Names of the American Civil War, other names) was a civil war in the United States between the Union (American Civil War), Union ("the North") and the Confederate States of A ...
: the
Chesapeake Affair The ''Chesapeake'' Affair was an international diplomatic incident that occurred during the American Civil War. On December 7, 1863, Confederate sympathizers from the British colonies Nova Scotia and New Brunswick captured the American steam ...
, when Maritime Confederate sympathizers captured a United States ship, killing an American in the process. American warships entered these waters to recapture the ship. In addition, Confederate John Taylor Wood escaped from Halifax Harbour on the CSS Tallahassee. The Halifax Citadel was constructed to defend against
smoothbore A smoothbore weapon is one that has a barrel without rifling. Smoothbores range from handheld firearms to powerful tank guns and large artillery mortars. Some examples of smoothbore weapons are muskets, blunderbusses, and flintlock pistols. ...
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 Citadel's two large ammunition magazines also served as the central explosive store for Halifax defences, making Citadel Hill, according to the historian and novelist Thomas Head Raddall, "like
Vesuvius Mount Vesuvius ( ) is a Somma volcano, somma–stratovolcano located on the Gulf of Naples in Campania, Italy, about east of Naples and a short distance from the shore. It is one of several volcanoes forming the Campanian volcanic arc. Vesuv ...
over Pompeii, a smiling monster with havoc in its belly". By the end of the 19th century, the role of the Citadel in the defence of Halifax Harbour had evolved as it was used as a command centre for other, more distant harbour defensive works. It also provided barrack accommodations. The
78th (Highlanders) Regiment of Foot The 78th (Highlanders) Regiment of Foot was a Scottish regiment, Highland Infantry Regiment of the Line, raised in 1793. Under the Childers Reforms it amalgamated with 72nd Regiment, Duke of Albany's Own Highlanders to form the Seaforth Highl ...
were stationed at Halifax for almost three years (1869-1871). The regiment arrived in Halifax on the afternoon of May 14 aboard the troopship . A total of 765 men disembarked in full dress uniform. The Regiment was divided into two depots and eight service companies, consisting in all of 34 officers, 49 sergeants, 21 drummers, 6 pipers, and 600 rank and file. For two years, the regiment was billeted at the Halifax Citadel and at Wellington Barracks. The latter is now known as Stadacona and is part of Canadian Forces Base Halifax. Each summer, men from the regiment camped at Bedford to practice musketry at the military range. Before their departure in 1871, a farewell ball was arranged for them, complete with a musical tribute composed in their honour. It was hosted by Alexander Keith, mayor of Halifax and noted brewmaster, who became Grandmaster of the Mason Lodge of Nova Scotia. On November 25, the regiment set sail for Ireland on board the troopship ''Orontes''. With them went 17 young Nova Scotian women who had married members of the regiment. Citadel Hill's various fortifications were garrisoned by the
British Army The British Army is the principal Army, land warfare force of the United Kingdom. the British Army comprises 73,847 regular full-time personnel, 4,127 Brigade of Gurkhas, Gurkhas, 25,742 Army Reserve (United Kingdom), volunteer reserve perso ...
until 1906, and afterward by the
Canadian Army The Canadian Army () is the command (military formation), command responsible for the operational readiness of the conventional ground forces of the Canadian Armed Forces. It maintains regular forces units at bases across Canada, and is also re ...
throughout the
First World War World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...
. It was never attacked. When the Great War began in 1914, there was widespread suspicion in Canada that immigrants from enemy countries might be disloyal. The federal government passed regulations allowing it to monitor and intern anyone who had not become naturalized British subjects. These people were labelled "enemy aliens." In total 8,579 men were held as
prisoners of war A prisoner of war (POW) is a person held captive by a belligerent power during or immediately after an armed conflict. The earliest recorded usage of the phrase "prisoner of war" dates back to 1610. Belligerents hold prisoners of war for a ...
in 24 camps across the country. There were three Internment camps in Nova Scotia: Amherst Internment Camp (April 1915 to September 1919); one on Melville Island in the Northwest Arm of Halifax Harbour, and one in Citadel Hill (Fort George) (September 1914 to October 1918). Unlike the rest of Canada, where internees were mostly of Eastern European origin, the internees in Nova Scotia were mainly ethnic German reservists. Fort George's final military role was to provide temporary barracks, signaling, and the central coordinating point for the city's anti-aircraft defences during the Second World War.


Recent history

In 1935, the hill and fortifications were designated a National Historic Site and received some stabilization as a works project during the Depression. The fort was not restored and began to decay after the end of the Second World War. In the late 1940s, Halifax downtown business interests advocated demolishing the fort and leveling Citadel Hill to provide parking and encourage development. But recognition of the fort's historical significance and tourism potential led to the fort's preservation and gradual restoration. Historian Harry Piers conducted research that supported this case and helped raise funds to restore the Citadel. In 1956, the partially restored fort opened as a historic site and home to the Halifax Army museum. Before the construction of new purpose-built museums, it also served as home to the Nova Scotia Museum and the Maritime Museum of the Atlantic. In the 1990s the Citadel was fully restored to its 1869 appearance by Parks Canada. It was common during the early 1980s for restoration workers to place dated coins in mortar or under replaced stones as the walls were rebuilt, these coins were left as an "unofficial" indication of what areas had been worked and when. Much of the restoration work involved removing stone and breaking down walls, re-engineering, installing PVC conduits for wiring and waterproofing, then restoring each stone to its original location. The mortar used for re-pointing and techniques were correct to the origin, although modern material of the era were used inside the walls along with plasticised cements. Even the tops of wall were deliberately shaped to the original dimension, angles and material with thick staggered layers of sod secured by cedar spikes. The site continues to be managed by
Parks Canada Parks Canada ()Parks Canada is the applied title under the Federal Identity Program; the legal title is Parks Canada Agency (). is the agency of the Government of Canada which manages the country's 37 National Parks, three National Marine Co ...
. The fort is amongst the most visited National Historic Sites in
Atlantic Canada Atlantic Canada, also called the Atlantic provinces (), is the list of regions of Canada, region of Eastern Canada comprising four provinces: New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia, and Prince Edward Island. As of 2021, the landma ...
. The grounds of the Halifax Citadel are open year round. From spring to fall, a living history program features animators (re-enactors) portraying the 78th Highland Regiment (stationed at Halifax between 1869 and 1871), the 78th Highlanders (Halifax Citadel) Pipe Band, the Third Brigade of the
Royal Artillery The Royal Regiment of Artillery, commonly referred to as the Royal Artillery (RA) and colloquially known as "The Gunners", is one of two regiments that make up the artillery arm of the British Army. The Royal Regiment of Artillery comprises t ...
, soldiers' wives, and civilian tradespeople. Parks Canada also hosts several re-enactment events each year by volunteers of th
Brigade of the American Revolution
and the two living history associations. Guided and self-guided tours, and audio-visual presentations and exhibits communicate the Citadel's role in the history of Halifax and North America. On average, the citadel sees 200,000 visitors annually. A year-round daily ceremonial firing of the noon gun is conducted, as a reminder of the fort's role in the city's history. The artillery is also used for formal occasions such as 21-gun salutes. The "Army Museum", located in the Citadel's Cavalier Block, displays a rare collection of weapons, medals, and uniforms exploring Nova Scotia's army history. It is an independent non-profit museum and staff work in close partnership with the Citadel staff of Parks Canada. In July 2006, Halifax Citadel celebrated the 100th anniversary of the withdrawal of the last British military forces from Canada. The Citadel hosted over 1,000 re-enactors from around the world. Approaching the
Christmas Christmas is an annual festival commemorating Nativity of Jesus, the birth of Jesus Christ, observed primarily on December 25 as a Religion, religious and Culture, cultural celebration among billions of people Observance of Christmas by coun ...
season, Citadel Hill annually hosts a "Victorian Christmas". Visitors are treated to crafts, carolers, and games. Ghost tours are held at the fort in the weeks leading up to Halloween.


Heritage Presentation and Tourism

On top of the Citadel itself, the historic site houses additional historical experiences for its visitors. The first of which, is the Army Museum located within the walls of the citadel itself. This museum, while situated within the larger historical site, is a community-run operation, which focuses on Nova Scotia's military past via the presentation of various artefacts, photographs and documentation. The Army museum primarily focuses on the histories of Nova Scotian involvement in the First and the Second World wars. Additionally, in the national heritage cite there is a signature exhibit - Fortress Halifax, a 550 square meter exhibit housed within the fort, which focuses primarily on the forces that shaped the region from the pre-colonial to the contemporary period. The exhibit includes several interactive elements ranging from their animated digital touch table, to a "dress-up station" which features the uniforms of the Royal Newfoundland Fencible Infantry.


Halifax Defence Complex

The Halifax Citadel and its predecessors were the focal point of the defence complex that made up the British
imperial fortress Robert Gascoyne-Cecil, 3rd Marquess of Salisbury, Lord Salisbury described Malta, Gibraltar, Bermuda, and Halifax as Imperial fortresses at the 1887 Colonial Conference, though by that point they had been so designated for decades. Later histor ...
of Halifax. Other fortifications that form the defence complex include: * Fort Needham * HMC Dockyard * Fort Massey * Fort Ogilvie * Prince of Wales Tower * Connaught Battery * York Redoubt * Practice Battery * Sandwich Point * Camperdown * Fort Chebucto * Fort Charlotte on George's Island * Fort Clarence * Devil's Battery / Hartlen Point * Five forts on McNabs Island: ** Fort Ives ** Fort Hugonin ** Sherbrooke Tower ** Strawberry Hill ** Fort McNab


In popular culture

The
Halifax Citadels The Halifax Citadels were a professional ice hockey team based in Halifax, Nova Scotia. They played in the American Hockey League between 1988 and 1993. They were created by the relocation of the Fredericton Express and filled a void left by th ...
were an
American Hockey League The American Hockey League (AHL) is a professional ice hockey league in North America that serves as the primary developmental league of the National Hockey League (NHL). The league comprises 32 teams, with 26 in the United States and 6 in Cana ...
team that played from 1988–93 at the Halifax Metro Center, just below Citadel Hill.


See also

* Military history of Nova Scotia * History of the Halifax Regional Municipality * List of oldest buildings and structures in Halifax, Nova Scotia *
Royal eponyms in Canada In Canada, a number of sites and structures are named for royal individuals, whether a member of the past French royal family, British royal family, or present Canadian royal family thus reflecting the country's status as a constitutional mona ...


References


Further reading

* Cuthbertson, Brian, The Halifax Citadel: Portrait of a Military Fortress, 2001, Formac Publishing Company, Ltd., Halifax. * The Evolution of the Halifax Fortress, 1749-1928 Piers, Harry, Self, G.M., Blakeley, Phyllis R. (Phyllis Ruth)


External links

*
Halifax Defence Complex Management Plan 2020

Citadel Exhibits and Attractions by Type

Fortress Halifax – A City Shaped by Conflict

Citadel Army Museum website
{{Nova Scotia parks Downtown Halifax Military history of Acadia Military history of Nova Scotia Military history of New England Military history of the Thirteen Colonies Buildings and structures in Halifax, Nova Scotia Military forts in Nova Scotia History of Halifax, Nova Scotia Forts or trading posts on the National Historic Sites of Canada register Internment camps in Canada Canadian ceremonial units Star forts