St. Augustine, Florida

Fort Marion, (formerly San Marcos Castle) was begun y the Spaniards in 1665 and required 91 years in building slaves being compelled to do the work.

The walls are about 12 ft. thick at the base, 9 ft. at the top, and about 25 ft. high.  The structure covers about five acres.  It was bombarded in 1740 by Governor Oglethorpe of the Colony of Georgia.  It is built of coquina and is said to be the best preserved specimen in the world of the military architecture of its time.  It is the oldest fortification on the western continent.  Its walls and watch towers remain intact, but its guns are dismounted and the moat is dry.   It is in all respects a castle built after the plan of those of the middle ages in Europe.

There are inner and outer barriers, the barbacan, teh draw bridge portcullis, wicket and all appliances of such fortifications..  In 1833 a secret dungeon was discovered in the north east bastion, in which was found crumbled human bones.

Castillo De San Marcos

St. Augustine, Florida

The Castillo was started in 1672, to succeed the last one of nine wooden forts, which since 1565 had protected St. Augustine.  The 16 foot thick walls are made of coquina, a shellrock, quarried from pits across the bay on Anastasia Island.  This fortification, remarkably well preserved, is an excellent example of Spanish Renaissance military practices.

Castillo De San Marcos

National Monument

St. Augustine, Florida

Construction of this old Spanish fort, built of native coquina rock, was begun in 1672.  It is the oldest stone fort in the United States.