The Fortress of Louisburg

The Fortress of Louisbourg was a large, historic military fortification on Cape Breton Island, Nova Scotia, built by the French in the 1740s to protect their North American interests. It was a strategic stronghold controlling access to vital trade routes and the Atlantic coast. The fortress featured thick walls, cannons, and buildings resembling a small town, designed to prevent enemy invasions, especially by the British. It changed hands between France and Britain multiple times and was eventually abandoned in the early 19th century. Today, it is a National Historic Site, with reconstructed buildings offering insight into 18th-century military and colonial life.