Things to do in Halifax

Halifax is a modern city with towering skyscrapers, modern shopping malls and plenty of fashionable restaurants and pubs, but there is also another fascinating side to this city; steep hillsides near the harbour leading to narrow streets scattered with quaint bars and restaurants, the Art Gallery, Maritime Museum and many other appealing places to visit.

The Clock Tower

The Clock Tower, built in 1803, is located on St George’s street. The three-storey dainty balustrade octagon tower is built on top of a one-storey white clapboard building that does not seem to fit in with the beauty of the tower, making the whole structure seem rather incongruous. Prince Edward arranged for the turret clock to be built to improve the image of the soldiers’ garrisons. Today, the Old Town Clock, or Citadel Clock as it is affectionately called, is one of the most famous landmarks in Halifax.

The Citadel

To deter the threat of potential invaders, the Citadel was strategically built on top of a hill. The Citadel is famed for its history and its impressive star-shaped architecture including thick solid walls. Built as a British naval station, the Citadel took 28 years to complete and played an important part in protecting the area. Today, it is protected as a National Historic site. It is quite interesting to walk around the fort and at noon, everyday, a canon is fired. There is an army museum on the second floor of the barracks, which has an interesting display of photographs and items, while there is a coffee and gift shop in the fort area.

Maritime Museum

Many artefacts from the Titanic are housed at the museum, as Halifax played an important part in the aftermath of the tragedy. The museum also houses an exhibition that covers all aspects of Nova Scotia seafaring, from colonial days until the present day. The displays include a collection of small boats and models of larger ones; a reconstruction of a 19th century store, stocked with items that a ship would require on a long journey, from tar to barrels of biscuits; and many other interesting exhibits.

Titanic Cemeteries

Halifax played a large part in the rescue and recovery process that began after the sinking of the Titanic on her maiden voyage. Altogether, 328 bodies were recovered and 209 were taken back to Halifax. The remainder were buried at sea.
Some of the bodies were returned to families, but 150 Titanic victims were laid to rest in Halifax. Their tombstones can be visited at the Mount Olivet Catholic Cemetery, the Baron de Hirsch Jewish Cemetery and the Fairview Lawn Cemetery. Up until today, 44 of the bodies buried remain unidentified.

St Paul’s Church
St Paul’s Church is the oldest building in Halifax, dating back to the mid 1700s. It is also the first Protestant church in Canada, and many tourists visit this site to enjoy its simple architecture and learn about its history. The church was used as a hospital after the 1917 Halifax explosion, when hundreds of bodies were placed in rows around its walls.

Halifax Harbour

Strolling around the harbour area is a delightful way of spending a few hours. There are plenty of shops, sidewalk cafés and other places to stop at including Pier 21, a museum where the lives of immigrants is recreated through live performances and multimedia presentations. There are also many old photographs, documents and paraphernalia from this era (1928 to 1971) on display.

The Historic Properties comprises an area of refurbished wharves, warehouses and merchant quarters. The area has an old-fashioned charm and is littered with boutiques, bars and bistros that line narrow lanes and alleyways.

Province House

The graceful sandstone house was once Canada’s oldest seat of government.  Built in the early 1800s, the Georgian building is a fine example of Palladian architecture style and its stark exterior hides the detail that lies inside the house; the fine plasterwork, ornamental engravings and artwork.

There are some beguiling stories attached to the home, one of them being that of the headless falcons. Rumour has it that an angry legislator knocked the heads off the falcons, using his cane, as he thought the falcons were eagles. This, of course, happened during the period of anti-Americanism in the 1840s. A guide book that can be purchased at the house tells of many other absorbing tales of events that took place at Province House.

Art Gallery of Nova Scotia

The gallery, located just across the road from Province House on Hollis street, occupies two buildings. One of the buildings is an Art Deco structure and the other an embellished Victorian edifice. There are many artworks by Maud Lewis, a native of Nova Scotia who had to overcome several illnesses to continue painting. The small cabin in which she used to paint has been moved from Digby, and is now displayed at the art gallery. Several other artists also have their paintings and sculptures displayed here.