Castillo de San Marcos

U.S. National Park Service

American Latino Heritage Travel Itinerary

The Castillo de San Marcos is the oldest masonry fort in the continental United States. Located on the western shore of Matanzas Bay in the city of St. Augustine, Florida, the fort was designed by the Spanish engineer Ignacio Daza.

The oldest masonry fort in the continental U.S. and a National Monument, the Castillo is the focal point of historical St. Augustine.

National Park Foundaiton

Castillo de San Marcos

TripAdvisor

St. Augustine's fort is a great tourist attraction and exceptional historic site, intriguing visitors of all ages. As the oldest masonry fortress in the continental US and only surviving 17th century military construction in North America, the Castillo de San Marcos ("Castle of St. Marks") is located on 21 acres on Matanzas Bay in the city of St. Augustine.

This monument on the East Coast of Florida commemorates the fierce clashes between European powers over the spoils of the New World. St. Augustine, Florida, was the northernmost point of a vast Spanish empire that included Mexico, Central America and parts of South America. In the late 17th century, Spain built Castillo de San Marcos to defend the city against both pirates and British forces. The castle withstood an attack by the English in 1702 that left the rest of St. Augustine burned to the ground. Although the fortress was eventually claimed by England and later America via treaty, it was never taken by force. Today the bastion's history is told via weapons demonstrations, ranger talks and detailed museum exhibits.

This former military fort is shining a spotlight on the lives of the Native Americans it imprisoned in the 19th century.

National monument, the Castillo de San Marcos, is the oldest masonry Fort in the United States and the only standing 17th century military construction.

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Castillo de San Marcos National Monument: Castillo de San Marcos National Monument, site of the oldest masonry fort in the U.S., built by Spaniards on Matanzas Bay in the late 17th century.

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