Castillo de San Marcos National Monument
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courtesy of the National Park Service |
Contact Information:
One South Castillo Drive
St. Augustine, FL 32084
904-829-6506
http://www.nps.gov/casa/
Size: 320 acres
Location: On A1A in downtown Saint Augustine, Florida.
Description: Castillo de San Marcos is the oldest masonry fort and best-preserved example of a Spanish colonial fortification in the continental United States. It was originally built (1672-1695) by the Spanish to protect Saint Augustine, the first permanent settlement by Europeans in the continental United States (established in 1565), and was for many years the northernmost outpost of Spain's vast New World Empire. The floor plan is the result of "modernization" work done in the 18th century.
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courtesy of the National Park Service |
Operating
Hours: The Castillo de San Marcos is open to the
public from 8:45 AM to 5:15 pm every day of the year except December 25. The
grounds are closed from midnight until 5:30 am. Visitation is highest June
through Labor Day, during the December holidays, and March through April.
Visitation is also quite high on summer and holiday weekends when an average of
3500 people per day visit the Castillo. Visitation is lowest from the middle of
September through early December.
History: Proclaimed as Fort Marion National Monument on October 15, 1924; changed to present name on June 5, 1942.
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