Fort York

Save

Let us know if these details are incorrect

Lonely Planet review

Established by the British in 1793 to protect the town of York, as Toronto was then known, Fort York was almost entirely destroyed during the War of 1812, when a small band of Ojibwa warriors and British and local troops couldn't halt the US incursion. The Americans went on to raze and loot the city but left of their own accord after just six days. The fort was rebuilt between 1813 and 1815.

Today, beneath the growl of trucks on the Gardiner Expwy, a handful of the original log, stone and brick buildings have been restored. In summer, men decked-out in 19th-century British military uniforms carry out mildly preposterous marches and drills, firing musket volleys into the sky. Kids feign interest or run around the fort's embankments with wooden rifles. Included in the admission price, tours run hourly from May to September - watch out for goose poo on your shoe!