Home
Happenings
History
Getting Here
Activities
Accommodations
Restaurants
Services
Sights
Destinations
Privacy
Contact
Sitemap

Don't miss the slideshow at the bottom of this page!

Although Kingston Ontario is well renowned for her Martello Towers, Martello Towers are not unique to Kingston.

After the British discovered how resistant to artillery assault these towers were, they built similar towers in other parts of the world, and in Canada. Between 1810 and 1847, eleven Martello towers were constructed in British North America. When Napoleon was threatening to invade Great Britain, Britain's faith in the Martello tower design was exemplified by them building more than 100 Martello type towers along England's southeast coast.

The photo right shows Parks Canada's concept of the inside of the Carleton Martello Tower, circa 1812, located in Saint John, New Brunswick. Given that these towers were apparently all built from a single master plan, it's reasonable to expect that the interior of all of the Martello Towers would be similar.

Kingston Ontario boasts four Martello Towers. They are Murney Tower (photo: below left), Shoal Tower, Cathcart Tower and Fort Frederick Tower.

All of Kingston's towers are part of the Rideau Canal and Kingston Fortifications World Heritage Site - the 14th World Heritage Site in Canada and the only one in Ontario.


Murney Tower, shown in the photo adjacent, is located at King West and Barrie Streets, right on the shore of Lake Ontario. The Murney Tower Museum is open to the public daily from about mid-May until the first week of September, from 10:00 am until 5:00 pm. There is a modest admission fee. Call (613)544-9925 during office hours for more information about visiting the Murney Martello Tower.

Shoal Tower is located in the Confederation Basin, right across the street from Kingston's City Hall.

Fort Frederick and Cathcart Towers are located on the grounds of Canada's RMC (Royal Military College), just a couple of minutes across the LaSalle Causeway from downtown Kingston.



And here's a hot tip from Incredible-Kingston.com. Plan to visit Fort Frederick Martello Tower on the RMC grounds. It's absolutely free! It's well preserved and lovingly restored and open from 10:00 am to 5:00 pm daily. Well worth seeing and it's free. See the slideshow below for a taste of what's in store for you at the Royal Military College, Fort Frederick, Martello Tower.

If the gate to RMC is manned, ask the guard how to get to the Museum. Else, just follow the signs once you get onto the grounds. The RMC campus is located just east of downtown Kingston, across the LaSalle Causeway, and just beside the uphill road to Fort Henry. You can't miss it.