Halifax is the capital of the province of Nova Scotia. The city is located on the south coast of the Nova Scotia peninsula. Halifax is a large agglomeration with an area of about 5.5 thousand square meters. km, which is allocated to a separate district within the province. The metropolitan area includes the cities of Halifax, Dartmouth, Bedford and Sackville. The Halifax agglomeration is the largest in terms of population, located east of Quebec, it is the main economic center of eastern Canada.
According to Allcitycodes.com, the central area of the city, where most of the sights are concentrated, is its harbour. Port of Halifax operates all year round, because the waters of the harbor do not freeze. Halifax Harbor is considered the second largest urban harbor in the world after Sydney. From the south, the harbor is bounded by McNabs Island, and in the northern part it has a vast Bedford Bay. The Halifax Peninsula, the historic center of the city, protrudes into the central part of the harbor. The main dominant of this area is the citadel located on a hill.. It was built in 1856. The citadel is located at an altitude of 80 m, offering a beautiful view of the city harbor and nearby islands. Initially, in the 18th century, there was a fortress built by the British on the city hill. It was erected as one of the main defensive structures used at that time from French attacks. And in fact, the fortress became the most powerful fortification on the east coast of North America, for which it received the name “Gateway to North America”. The defense complex included not only a fortress on a hill, but also numerous coastal forts and forts of small islands located in the harbor. The current citadel was built in the middle of the 19th century and was intended to defend the city from attacks by the US army. Until 1906, British military garrisons were stationed on the city hill, and during the First and Second World Wars, the Canadian garrisons. Hill during World War II Halifax was the main point of the British air force. After the war, the citadel acquired the status of a historical site. It is surrounded by earthen ramparts, has the appearance of a star in plan, inside of which there is a vast courtyard. Every day at noon, cannon volleys sound near the citadel, and performances are periodically held here telling about the life of this part of the city at the end of the 19th century. Today, the halls of the Military Museum are located inside the citadel, where samples of weapons, uniforms and orders are exhibited. In the eastern part of the hill rises an old clock tower (1803). At the foot of the hill is the huge Metro Center Stadium , which hosted the 2008 Ice Hockey World Championship.
Slightly east towards the embankment is City Hole. – seat of the municipal government. The building stands in the northern part of the Grand Parade Square, where military parades have been held since the founding of the city. City Hole is adjacent to Province House, which was built in 1819 opposite the waterfront. Now the legislative, executive and judicial bodies of the province sit here. Province House is Canada ‘s oldest meeting building. It consists of three floors, on which the Red and Green offices, an extensive Library and ministers’ offices are located. Not far from here stands the Anglican Church of St. Paul. It was built in 1750 and was the first Anglican church in Canada. On the waterfront is the Maritime Museum of the Atlantic, where models of ships from different times, samples of naval weapons and military trophies are exhibited. Next to the museum stands a monument to the sailors of the British Commonwealth. The Halifax waterfront is the site of numerous festivals. This is a great place for walking and relaxing. The waterfront is also home to the Art Gallery of Nova Scotia, the famous Neptune Drama Theatre, the Casino, the historic 18th and 19th century History Properties area and the Granville Mall area, which is full of restaurants, pubs and shops. The Art Gallery of Nova Scotia features over 10,000 paintings by Canadian and European artists. South of the Halifax Peninsula
stretches the oldest urban park in the country, the Halifax Commons. The park was laid out in 1749. Nearby is Point Pleasant Park. It is occupied by forests, along which hiking trails are laid. Previously, artillery batteries were located here, from which defensive structures have survived to this day. On the border of the park near the coast there are observation platforms. Plays by Shakespeare are played every summer in Point Pleasant.
Also in the southern part of the Halifax peninsula on the coast is Pier 21 Historic Site, home to European immigrants since the early 20th century. To the west is another city park called Public Gardens.. The park was laid out in 1867 in the Victorian style. It is located next to the Spring Garden shopping area, where numerous shopping centers are concentrated. One of the most popular urban parks in Halifax is Sir Sandford Fleming Park, which covers an area of 38 hectares and is located at the southern base of the Halifax Peninsula on the coast of the South Arm of Halifax Harbor. Here you can see forests with hiking trails, marches, small lakes and sandy beaches. In 1912, the Dingle Tower was built in the park, from where you can now look at the city.
South Halifax is also home to the province’s tallest building, the Frenwick Tower.. It was built in 1971 as a hostel for students of the city university. There are 33 floors in the Frenwick Tower, with a total height of 98 m. On the south coast of Halifax, near the Sambro settlement, the city’s most popular beach is located – Crystal Crescent.
A bridge has been laid from the central part of the coast of Halifax harbor in the old city to the other side of the harbor, it leads to the city of Dartmouth. Dartmouth is known as the “city of lakes” because there are 23 lakes in its vicinity. There are also numerous parks in Dartmouth, so the city will be of interest to nature lovers. The city’s most popular parks are Dartmouth Commons and Shuby. Shubi Park has an area of 16 hectares and is occupied by forests. It is bordered by lakes Mikmak and Charlis. The Shubenakadi Canal flows through the park with many dams. Along the canal are some of the most exciting hiking trails in this part of the province. Campsites have been built in Shubi Park for tourists. 19 km east of Dartmouth in the provincial park of Laurenstown Beach stretches the beach of the same name, which is popular among surfers and windsurfers. Waves here can reach a height of 3.5 m. In the upper reaches of Halifax harbor are cities Bedford and Sackville. In Bedford, it is worth visiting the Hemlock Ravin and Admiral DeWolf parks, as well as the old Scott Menor House building from 1770. Sackville is famous for its surrounding lakes.
200 km west of Halifax on the peninsula of Port Mouton lies the coastal part of the Kejimkujik National Park.. This part of the park has an area of 22 sq. km and is an excellent place for observing birds and marine life, such as seals and turtles. There are about 250 species of birds and many reptiles, including the rare Blanding’s freshwater turtle. 100 km to the north in the center of the peninsula is the main part of the Kejimkujik National Park with an area of 381 square meters. km. The park was founded in 1967. There are lakes and rivers in it, along which canoe tours are arranged. There are also 14 hiking trails in the park.