St. John's is best viewed from the Signal Tower overlooking the harbour and entrance. Fort Amherst and Light are just below the Signal Tower and Cape Spear is visible in the distance, where Canada begins.

St. John's

Courtesy Wikipedia

St. John's is the capital and largest city of the Canadian province of Newfoundland and Labrador. It is located on the eastern tip of the Avalon Peninsula on the island of Newfoundland. The city spans 446.04 km² (172.22 sq mi) and is the easternmost city in North America (excluding Greenland).^{[8][9][10][11]} The closest European settlement is Fajã Grande, Azores, Portugal, about 2,000 kilometres (1,100 nautical miles) away.

Its name has been attributed to the belief that John Cabot sailed into the harbour on the Nativity of John the Baptist in 1497, although it is most likely a legend that came with British settlement. A more realistic possibility is that a fishing village with the same name existed without a permanent settlement for most of the 16th century.^[12] Indicated as São João on a Portuguese map from 1519, it is one of the oldest cities in North America.^{[13][failed verification]} It was officially incorporated as a city in 1888. With a metropolitan population of approximately 239,316 (as of 16 January 2025), the St. John's Metropolitan Area is Canada's 22nd-largest metropolitan area and the second-largest Census Metropolitan Area (CMA) in Atlantic Canada, after Halifax, Nova Scotia.^[14]

The city has a rich history, having played a role in the Seven Years' War, the American Revolutionary War, and the War of 1812. Italian inventor Guglielmo Marconi received the first transatlantic wireless signal in St. John's.^[15] Its history and culture have made it into an important tourist destination.^[16] St. John's was referred to as Baile Sheáin (Johnstown), in the poetry of Donnchadh Ruadh Mac Conmara (1715–1810), and among speakers of the Irish language in Newfoundland.^[17]

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The Light at Fort Amherst

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Cape Spear, where Canada begins

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Signal Hill as seen from Cape Spear

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Cape Spear, as seen from Signal Hill

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Fort Amherst and Light

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