Lunenburg, Nova Scotia

Lunenburg
Town of Lunenburg
Aerial photo of Lunenburg
Lunenburg
Location of Lunenburg, Nova Scotia
Coordinates: 44°22′40″N 64°18′34″W / 44.3778°N 64.3094°W / 44.3778; -64.3094
CountryCanada
ProvinceNova Scotia
CountyLunenburg County
Founded1753
Natal DayJune 7, 1753
IncorporatedOctober 31, 1888
Named afterDuke of Brunswick-Lüneburg
Electoral Districts     
Federal

South Shore—St. Margarets
ProvincialLunenburg
Government
 • BodyLunenburg Town Council
 • MayorJamie Myra
 • MLASusan Corkum-Greek (PC)
 • MPJessica Fancy-Landry (LPC)
Area
 (2021)
 • Land4.04 km2 (1.56 sq mi)
Population
 (2021)
 • Total
2,396
 • Density593/km2 (1,540/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC−4 (AST)
 • Summer (DST)UTC−3 (ADT)
Postal code
B0J
Area code(s)902 & 782
Highways Trunk 3
Route 332
Route 324
WebsiteTown of Lunenburg
Official nameOld Town Lunenburg
TypeCultural
Criteriaiv, v
Designated1995 (19th session)
Reference no.741
RegionEurope and North America
Official nameOld Town Lunenburg Historic District National Historic Site of Canada
Designated1991
TypeHeritage Conservation District
Designated2000

Lunenburg (/ˈlnənbɜːrɡ/) is a port town on the South Shore of Nova Scotia, Canada. Founded in 1753, the town was one of the first British attempts to settle Protestants in Nova Scotia.

Historically, Lunenburg's economy relied on the offshore fishery, and today it hosts Canada's largest secondary fish-processing plant. The town experienced prosperity in the late 1800s, and many of its architectural gems date back to that era.

In 1995, UNESCO designated it a World Heritage Site. UNESCO considers the site the best example of planned British colonial settlement in North America, as it retains its original layout and appearance of the 1800s, including local wooden vernacular architecture. UNESCO considers the town in need of protection because the future of its traditional economic underpinnings, the Atlantic fishery, is now very uncertain.

The historic core of the town is also a National Historic Site of Canada.