Fort Henry, Fort and national historic site in Kingston, Ontario, Canada
Fort Henry stands on Point Henry at the mouth of the Cataraqui River. Its low, flat masonry walls form an open polygon around a central parade ground, with a long arc of round-headed arches along the front and a solid parapet above. A cylindrical stone tower with a bright red conical roof rises at the water's edge, and a lower rounded structure projects from its base.
British forces built the fortress between 1832 and 1836 to protect Kingston's Royal Naval Dockyard and monitor strategic waterways. During World War I, it served as a detention center for enemy civilians held within its stone walls.
The Fort Henry Guard performs daily military demonstrations in period uniforms, showing how British soldiers lived and worked in the 1800s. Visitors can watch soldiers drill, cook, and go about their garrison duties much as they did centuries ago.
The fortress is open daily from May through September with shorter hours in spring and fall, and offers guided tours in several languages. Wear comfortable shoes since exploring the barracks and tunnels involves stairs and uneven ground.
The fortress contains a working historical bakery where bakers produce bread daily using recipes from nearly 200 years ago. Visitors can watch the baking process and smell fresh bread coming from wood-fired ovens.
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