Fort Rodd Hill National Historic Site, Coastal artillery fort in Colwood, Canada.

Fort Rodd Hill is a coastal artillery fort in British Columbia featuring three gun batteries, underground storage chambers, command centers, barracks, and searchlight stations. The site spans across hillside terrain and offers views toward the waters below.

Two forts were built between February 1894 and October 1897 under a Canadian-British defence agreement: one at Macaulay Point and a new one at Rodd Hill, a rock bluff overlooking the western entrance to Esquimalt Harbour. A Royal Marine Artillery garrison arrived in 1894, and the Royal Engineers oversaw construction. British troops handed the fort to Canadian forces in 1906, who held it until military use ended in 1956.

The site displays how soldiers lived and worked here across different periods, with exhibits showing their daily routines and responsibilities. Visitors can understand how military operations were central to protecting this coastal region.

The site is walkable with pathways connecting the different gun positions, making it easy to explore the grounds at your own pace. Sturdy footwear is recommended since the terrain is hilly and some paths have steep sections.

The two 6-inch guns of the Lower Battery shared a single magazine because space on the rock bluff was limited, while the third gun stood in its own Upper Battery about 200 metres away. The barrels were kept hidden below the parapet and raised by a hydro-pneumatic system only to fire.