 Travelogue
St. Augustine, Florida
The Oldest City in the USA
The Old Fort: Castillo de San Marco
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 The
Castillo de San Marco was built in its current stone structure by the Spanish
from 1672-1695. It sits overlooking the inlet which enters the Atlantic
Ocean.
 The
Fort was armed with many cannons. the walls of the fort were made of coquina
stone. It was able to sustain mortar shells and for this reason it remains
standing to this day.
 The
moat around the inner wall of the fort was dry. Unfortunately over the years
those who controlled this historic treasure thought it would be nice to fill the
moat with water. Unfortunately the water cracked the walls of the coquina stone
which is white sand stone composed of fragments of seashells and sea
materials.
 The
moat is not visible to the eye when at ground level to the fort. It was
intentionally made this way so as to surprise any attackers.
 Re-enactors
of the original Spanish military are present to shoot off a cannon for the visitors
to the Old Fort.
 The
fort was held by the Spanish until 1763 when it was handed over to the English.
It was called Ft. Marion from that time. It was then handed back to the Spaniards
for forty years from 1784-1821. Finally in 1821, the fort was taken over by the
Americans. The Americans used the fort as a prison during the American-Indian
Wars and house the famous Seminole Indian leaders Osceola and Coachoochee.
 As
you can see by the cranes in the background the fort is undergoing major renovations
to restore the walls and repair the cracks which are threatening it
stability.
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