A visit to Cape Breton in the Canadian province of Nova Scotia would not be complete without a stop at the Fortress of Louisbourg. Surprisingly, the National Historic Site of Canada receives just over 80,000 visitors annually.
Perhaps travelers to Canada are missing out on a) this historic fort and b) Cape Breton in general. There’s more to the country than Niagara Falls, the CN Tower and Lake Louise, folks.
We visited in September, 2018 and were not disappointed. See below for more detailed information, photos and some video from the area.
Fortress Of Louisbourg Image Gallery
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Fortress Of Louisbourg
The Fortress of Louisbourg is located at the southeastern tip of the island of Cape Breton in the Canadian province of Nova Scotia. The site is just a short drive from the major centers of Sydney and Glace Bay.
The settlement was built by France between 1713 and 1740. It was a favourite target of the British and was last captured in 1758. In 1752, the population reached a peak of over 4,000 residents.
After the capture of 1758, the British remained until 1768. After that, the fortress slowly fell into decay and little remained two centuries later when it was decided to reconstruct the site.
In 1961, reconstruction began. It remains the largest reconstruction project ever taken on in North America. As mentioned, 82,000 visit the Fortress of Louisbourg each year. In 1920, it was designated a National Historic Site Of Canada.
Some original buildings and foundations do remain. There are a number of helpful and very knowledgeable ‘soldiers’ around to answer you questions about what is real and what is reconstructed. The fact is, the reconstruction is now about 60 years old making it historic in itself.
Upon Arrival
After making the drive through the fishing village of Louisbourg to the fortress, the visitor centre is surrounded by ample parking. If you visit in September, like we did, parking close to the action won’t be a problem.
You do not drive to the actual fortress and, as far as I know, you can’t walk from the visitor centre. Your fee pays for a short bus ride to the entrance. The buses run often and are quite comfortable. From the bus stop, there is a short walk along the shoreline to get to the entrance. After that, it’s your choice about how you want to explore the fortress.
Quay Wall Improvements
It should be noted that a construction project began in mid-October, 2018 to raise the sea wall by one metre. It was found that the sea level had risen about a metre since the 18th century. It was also found that during storms, waves were regularly breaching the wall and the water wasn’t draining away. The renovation will not only raise the wall but improve the drainage.
Louisbourg Videos
We didn’t taken video from inside the fortress. But, we have published a video of the spectacular sea coast at the nearby Louisbourg Lighthouse and a driving tour video that takes you from the fortress, through the fishing village to the lighthouse.
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