Halifax Citadel
In French: Citadelle d'Halifax
5425 Sackville Street, Schmidtville
Halifax Citadel, c. 1780 and today
Drag across to compare. The two views aren’t taken from exactly the same spot.
c. 1780: Photo: Artist: Edward Hicks; engraved and published, London, England, ca. 1782 · Public domain. Today: Photo: Moneywagon · CC BY-SA 3.0.
About Halifax Citadel
National Historic Site status goes to 19 places in Schmidtville, Halifax Citadel among them. Halifax Citadel went up in 1828–1857. 15 neighbours on the registers lie within 400 m.
Halifax Citadel is a large, stone early 19th-century British fortification located atop Citadel Hill, in Halifax, Nova Scotia. The walled citadel is surrounded by an expansive grassed glacis descending to the commons on the west side and downtown Halifax on the east side. It is the most prominent fortification in a network of defensive works that have historically guarded Halifax, its dockyard and its harbour.
From the Canadian Register of Historic Places, Halifax Citadel National Historic Site of Canada · Open Government Licence – Canada · as published, word for word
A National Historic Site is designated by the federal minister on the Historic Sites and Monuments Board’s advice.
1 old view of Halifax Citadel
Made before 1950, from 1780: public domain or CC0. Tap one to see it full screen.
c. 1780From Wikimedia Commons, copied to our own server; some are drawings, prints or maps of their time. Each credit is in the viewer.
Make it a walk: 5 historic places in about 10 minutes
Schmidtville · about 600 m on foot, as the crow flies
- 1Halifax CitadelStart here
- 2Town Clock on Citadel HillClassified Federal Heritage Building · 200 m on
- 3Halifax Academy BuildingProvincially Registered Property · 200 m on
- 4Commanding Officer's ResidenceRecognized Federal Heritage Building · 100 m on
- 52/Officers' Married QuartersRecognized Federal Heritage Building · 100 m on
12 within 300 m
Every place on the record within this distance; each opens its own page.
Questions about Halifax Citadel
What is Halifax Citadel?
Halifax Citadel has been a National Historic Site of Canada since 1935.
Is Halifax Citadel protected?
The designation recognizes its national significance; it doesn’t by itself protect a building the federal government doesn’t own. Provincial or municipal designation may.
When was Halifax Citadel built?
The record of Halifax Citadel gives 1828–1857.
Can you visit Halifax Citadel?
The outside is easy to see; inside, it depends on the owner’s rules.
Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Canada (Parks Canada).
Sources: Parks Canada, Directory of Federal Heritage Designations · Canadian Register of Historic Places (federal extract) · Photos: Wikimedia Commons, each credited with its licence and copied to our own server · Wikidata (CC0) for map points, other names and articles.
Adapted from Statistics Canada (Census of Population 2021, population estimates 2025, 2021 census boundaries) under the Statistics Canada Open Licence; this does not constitute an endorsement by Statistics Canada. Neighbourhood names in some cities © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL).