Fort York National Historic Site

A late 18th- and 19th-century defence against invaders (i.e., Americans), Fort York was destroyed during the War of 1812 and rebuilt to ward off a further U.S. invasion in 1814. The 43-acre site is a reminder of how unnecessary such defences have become and how much of Lake Ontario the city has reclaimed—the site used to be right on the waterfront. A chic and award-winning new Visitor Centre and exhibition space, tucked away under an expressway, gives street cred to this venerable historic site, now surrounded by shiny condo towers. Historic re-enactments on offer.