Wanderlust World Wanderlust World Canada has no medieval castles. Castles were fortified residences of European nobility built primarily between the 9th and 16th centuries. European colonization of Canada began in the early 17th century (Quebec City founded 1608), by which time gunpowder artillery had rendered traditional castles obsolete. Instead, colonists built forts—military fortifications designed for defense and trade control—such as the Fortress of Louisbourg, Fort York, and the Citadel of Quebec. These are distinct from castles in purpose, design, and historical context.