Castillo de San Marcos
St. Augustine, Florida is a wonderful historic city to visit and there are a multitude of activities to enjoy, however, no visit would be complete without touring the most prominent structure which lies outside of the main gate of the historic city, and that is the Castillo de San Marcos. The Castillo de San Marcos is a historic fort that is located on the bank of the Matanzas River and when ranked with other national sites, the fort is a historic giant.
For any family living within a two-hour drive of St. Augustine, the fort is a wonderful day trip for the youngest member to the oldest, and all in between. It has been meticulously restored and maintained and is complete with actors dressed in authentic clothing styles from that era, artifacts, and interior accomodation displays compete with furniture. It is a humbling experience to stand inside the fort, to feel and see the history all around you, imagining what it would have been like as an occupant of the fort many years ago.
America Begins Here
Built by the Spanish in St. Augustine to defend Florida and the Atlantic trade route, Castillo de San Marcos National Monument preserves the oldest masonry fortification in the continental United States and interprets more than 450 years of cultural intersections.
Brief History
The Castillo de San Marcos, known in Spanish as "Castillo de San Marcos," holds the distinction of being the oldest masonry fort in the continental United States. It is situated on the western bank of Matanzas Bay in St. Augustine, Florida.
The Spanish engineer Ignacio Daza designed the fort, with construction commencing in 1672, 107 years after the city's establishment by Spanish Admiral and conquistador Pedro Menéndez de Avilés, during a time when Florida was part of the Spanish Empire. The initiative for the fort's construction was taken by Governor Francisco de la Guerra y de la Vega, following a raid by the English privateer Robert Searles in 1668, which resulted in significant destruction in St. Augustine and damage to the existing wooden fort. The construction continued under Guerra's successor, Manuel de Cendoya, in 1671, with the first coquina stones being laid in 1672. The main structure of the current fortress was completed in 1695, although it has undergone numerous modifications and renovations throughout the years.
Following Britain's acquisition of Florida in 1763 because of the Treaty of Paris, St. Augustine became the capital of British East Florida, and the fort was renamed Fort St. Mark. This name remained until the Peace of Paris in 1783 when Florida was returned to Spain, and the original name was reinstated. In 1819, Spain signed the Adams–Onís Treaty, which resulted in the cession of Florida to the United States in 1821. Consequently, the fort was designated as a United States Army base and renamed Fort Marion, in honor of the American Revolutionary War hero Francis Marion. In 1924, the fort was designated a National Monument, and after 251 years of continuous military use, it was deactivated in 1933. The 20.48-acre (8.29 ha) site was subsequently transferred to the United States National Park Service. In 1942 the original name, Castillo de San Marcos, was restored through an Act of Congress.
The Castillo de San Marcos experienced multiple attacks and was besieged on two occasions: first by English colonial forces under the command of Carolina Colony Governor James Moore in 1702, and subsequently by English Georgia colonial Governor James Oglethorpe.
Operating Hours
The Castillo de San Marcos is open to the public seven days per week except Thanksgiving Day (the fourth Thursday in November) and Christmas Day (December 25). The first admission is at 9:00 a.m. and the last admission is at 5:00 p.m. The Castillo closes and visitors must exit at 5:15 p.m. The park grounds are closed from midnight until 5:30 a.m.
Visitation is lowest from mid-September through mid-November. Visitation is highest around holidays (especially Christmas to New Year's); during spring, summer, and winter breaks from school; and on weekends. A busy Saturday will average 3,500 people visiting the Castillo. School group visitation is quite high October-November and February-May.
However, if you can time your trip to the 4th of July, it is a wonderful experience to sit on the green lawn next to the fort and watch the fireworks being launched from the river over the fort.
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