Lunenburg, Nova Scotia Canada

Old town Lunenburg
Great Canadian Places
Municipality of Lunenburg
World heritage site
Lunenburg history
Pictures
Town of Lunenburg
More pictures

Lunenburg is a treasure-trove of maritime history and ancient architecture. And it has changed little in the past 200 years.

The waterfront always held the key to Lunenburg's history and prosperity. The deep waters of the natural harbor attracted the British back in 1753 when they built Lunenburg as a "model town" for new immigrants Today 400 historic buildings in Lunenburg's Old Town make up a UNESCO World Heritage site. Nearly two-thirds of them pre-date the 19th Century. Lunenburg is one of the last sea ports on the Atlantic coast of North America where traditional masted sailing ships can still be built. The shipbuilders are direct descendants of the craftsmen who first built hundreds of sleek schooners to sail the rich fishing grounds of the Grand Banks. Lunenburg was home to a deep sea fleet of almost 150 vessels by the end of the last century.