Five Great Reasons to Visit Castillo de San Marcos

Castillo de San Marcos is an old historic Spanish located in the heart of St Augustine’s Historic District. As a result, it’s one of the top places to visit in St Augustine. This fort is a National Monument, therefore admission is free with an America the Beautiful National Parks Pass. If you don’t have a pass, admission is $15 for adults. Admission is also free during the St Augustine History Festival in May.

Here are five reasons to visit Castillo de San Marcos, in no particular order:

1. Admire the Architecture of the Oldest Fort in the US

The Castillo de San Marco was built by the Spaniards to defend Spain’s claims in the New World. It was constructed of coquina (crushed shells) and proved to withstand enemy attacks. Here is an article about why coquina was such a strong building material.

As a result of it’s resilience, Castillo de San Marco boasts the title of oldest masonry fort in the contiguous United States. At 328 years old, it’s also the oldest structure in St Augustine.

2. Historic Reenactment Cannon Firings

This is possibly one of the top reasons to visit Castillo de San Marco. How often do you get the opportunity to hear a real cannon being fired? If you visit on a weekend you can experience it first hand. The demonstrations run throughout the day between 10:30 am – 3:30 pm.

3. Great Views of St Augustine from the Gun Deck

From the gun deck you will have excellent views of Flagler College, the steeple of Grace United Methodist Church and the dome of Flagler Memorial Presbyterian Church. In addition, you can also see the Bridge of Lions and the Matanzas River.

4. Cannons!

Castillo de San Marcos has a collection of beautiful bronze cannons featuring the Spanish royal coat of arms. Bronze was the preferred material for making cannons that would be used in seaports and on ships because bronze doesn’t rust. The detail on these cannons is impressive. Due to corrosion from the salt air, some of the iron cannons are being restored. You can read about the restoration project here.

5. Explore the Fort and Learn the History of Early Spanish Occupation

It’s easy to spend several hours walking around the different areas of the fort. The lower lever has lots of great displays to read that explain the history of fort. Wander through soldier’s living quarters, see where the prisoners were kept and read all about the history of Castillo de San Marcos. Items of note include the Spanish flag and the Coat of Arms.

So there you have it. Five pretty great reasons to visit Castillo de San Marcos in St Augustine. Whether you are a history buff, a National Park enthusiest or just enjoy seeing new sites, this is definitely a place worth visiting.

Things to do Near Castillo de San Marcos

For more ideas of things to do in St Augustine, check out my post Spend a Day in St Augustine.

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