Halifax — Citadel & Waterfront
Halifax Citadel
Listen at the stop, then read the transcript and follow the sources behind the story.
Listen
Transcript
The British founded Halifax in 1749 and immediately fortified this hill. The settlement was intended as a counterweight to French power at Louisbourg and as a secure naval base on the Atlantic.
The hill has held four successive citadels. The present star-shaped stone fortress was begun in 1828 and completed in 1856, largely in response to fears of conflict with the United States.
Parks Canada notes an amusing fact: none of the four citadels was ever attacked. That does not mean they were useless. Fortifications can deter attack precisely by making it unattractive.
The deeper story begins before the fort. This is Mi'kma'ki, and the British settlement was established without Mi'kmaq consent.
From the ramparts, the harbour explains everything. Halifax's power came from being easy for the Royal Navy to use and difficult for enemies to approach.