The Castillo de San Marcos, otherwise known as “the Fort” to locals, is a goldmine as far as historical locations go. The Fort is the heart of St. Augustine, and is what draws in millions of tourists year round! The Fort is open to visitors every day from 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. (excluding Thanksgiving and Christmas) and is the perfect place to bring your entire family. Here is some interesting information on the Castillo de San Marcos:
A History Lesson: The Castillo de San Marcos is the oldest masonry fort in the continental United States. Prior to the construction of the Castillo, the Spanish had built nine wooden forts designed to protect the city, but those were burned down by invaders. The Spanish began to build the Castillo de San Marcos in 1672 and it took over 23 years to complete the build. The Fort was strategically placed on Matanzas Bay in order to protect the historical town of St. Augustine, and its placement made entering the inlet from the ocean almost impossible for incoming threats. The Castillo itself never saw battle, but was built with the intention to protect the city and its ‘treasures’ from being overrun by the British, pirates, or anyone else who wanted what St. Augustine held. The Castillo de San Marcos originally went by the name Fort Marion and served as a United States Army base for some years, and was eventually declared a national monument by President Calvin Coolidge. In 1993, after continuous military use since it’s build, the Fort was deactivated and turned over to the United States National Park Service.
The Structure of the Castillo de San Marcos: the Castillo is a masonry star fort built entirely from a stone called coquina. Coquina rock consists of ancient shells that have bonded together to form a sedimentary rock similar to that of limestone. The Spanish selected this stone to build the Fort because it was a very soft stone, so when cannon balls would hit the structure they would simply dent it, rather than shatter or crumble the structure. The rock was quarried from what is now ‘King’s Quarry’ on Anastasia Island State Park. The Castillo has four outward protrusions, or bastions, named the San Pedro, San Agustin, San Carlos, and San Pablo, which make up the points on the star-like structure. The Castillos is also surrounded by a moat which was usually kept dry, but could be flooded with seawater at any time. The interior of the Fort contains numerous rooms that once housed soldiers and prisoners, and a huge interior courtyard and gun-deck, all of which are available now to walk through and learn the history.
Now after learning about the Castillo de San Marcos, you can probably agree, who wouldn’t want to visit this amazing historical landmark, especially for those that love history! The Castillo de San Marcos offers so much history and provides a handful of information regarding how St. Augustine has gotten to where it is today. Tickets for the Castillo can be purchased at the ticket booth on site or online here. Active military who present their military ID are eligible for free access to the park, and allows up to three other guests to enter with them as well. Now what are you waiting for, book your stay at the Beachers Lodge and make your way to the Castillo de San Marcos!