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Castillo de San Marcos National Monument

Photo: Jonthomascampbell / CC BY-SA 4.0

Attractions

Castillo de San Marcos National Monument

St. Augustine, FL · Northeast Florida$$15 per adult for 7 days; kids 15 and under free

About

Spain started this star fort in 1672, and 350 years later it still guards Matanzas Bay at the edge of St. Augustine. The walls are coquina, a soft shell stone that swallowed cannonballs instead of shattering, which is part of why the fort was never taken by force. Walk the gun deck for the bay view, drop into the cool vaulted rooms below, and time it for a cannon firing when the rangers run one.

Highlights

Oldest masonry fort in the continental U.S.Built of coquina, a local shell stone that absorbed cannon fireStar-fort design with four bastions over Matanzas BayWalkable gun deck and cool vaulted lower roomsWeekend cannon firings run by NPS rangers

Getting there

1 South Castillo Drive, Saint Augustine, FL 32084

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