Halifax Citadel

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Halifax Citadel (1749-1931) - A British colonial post established in 1749 by Captain General and Governor of Nova Scotia Edward Cornwallis in present day Halifax, Halifax County, Nova Scotia, Canada. Officially renamed Fort George (4) after King George III by Prince Edward on 20 Oct 1798. Later renamed Halifax Citadel. Abandoned in 1931.

Halifax Citadel Cannons
Halifax Citadel Southeast Bastion, Ditch and Signal Masts
Halifax Citadel Barracks

First Citadel (1749)

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Second Citadel (1776)

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Third Citadel (1796)

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Fourth Citadel (1828)

Halifax Citadel North Magazine
Halifax Citadel South Magazine

The fourth Citadel was designed by General Gustavus Nicolls, Royal Engineers, as a star shaped permanent stone fortification. Work began in August 1828. Design flaws and reworks delayed the completion of the fort until 1856. The new fort covered Citadel Hill with a four bastioned fort with ravelins on the North, South and West sides. A dry ditch surrounded the fort protected by earth covered counter-scarp galleries.

Internally, casemates lined the walls housing troops and supplies. A central Cavalier barracks originally designed as a two story structure with cannons on top became a three story structure without cannons. Two protected magazines were indented into the Northwest and Southwest bastions with a capacity for almost 4,000 barrels of gunpowder.

By 1848 the Citadel was armed with forty-five 32-pounder cannons for the ramparts and bastions, twenty 24-pounder cannons to protect the ditch and five 8-inch shell guns, one for each of the five corners.


Current Status

Halifax Citadel Sallyport

Must see! Restored fourth Halifax Citadel in Halifax, Halifax County, Nova Scotia, Canada. Many period cannons mounted and unmounted.



Location: Halifax, Halifax County, Nova Scotia, Canada

Maps & Images

Lat: 44.646918 Long: -63.580756

  • Multi Maps from ACME
  • Maps from Bing
  • Maps from Google
  • Elevation: 220'

Sources:

Links:

Visited: 22 Jun 2013


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