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Picture Set [1], [2]
St. Augustine was founded in 1565; the same year the Spanish defeated French attempting to create a settlement
about forty miles north. St. Augustine is the oldest permanent settlement in the continental U.S. and was the capital
of Spanish Province of Florida for more than 200 years. From 1672-95 Castillo de San Marcos was built. It remained under
Spanish control until the 1763 Peace of Paris when Florida was turned over to England. After the U.S. won its independence
the 1783 Peace of Paris return control of Florida back to Spain. In 1821 Spain ceded Florida to the U.S.
A view of the fort from the moat wall. Mortars and cannons on display.
Shot furnance. Cannon balls were inserted into the furnance, heated and fired at ships.
Backside view of the fort. Under Spanish control the moat was used as holding area for livestock when under siege.
If attacked by land the moat could be flooded. The moat was filled in by the U.S. and cannons installed outside the
fort walls. I wondered why the shot furnance was outside the fort walls; it was a U.S. structure.
Fort entrance.
Directly behind me when the previous pic was taken is a structure that holds this replica of the Royal Coat of Arms.
The castles and lions symbols represent the kingdoms of Castillo and Leon, which joined to form modern Spain in the
New World. The original weather worn coat of arms is on display inside the fort.
These stairs lead to the top of the fort's outer walls. It was originally a ramp.
La Necesaria (the necessary or latrine) is located underneath the ramp.
Four pics on top of the fort's walls.
A few inside the walls from atop a fort wall.
Picture Set [1], [2]
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