Crossing a dry moat, this drawbridge was the only way into the Castillo.
Built by the Spanish in St. Augustine to defend Florida and the Atlantic trade route, Castillo de San Marcos National Monument preserves the oldest masonry fortification in the continental United States and interprets more than 450 years of cultural intersections.
The National Park Service (NPS) is planning a multimillion- dollar project to raise and rehabilitate the failing seawalls at Castillo de San Marcos National Monument. Funded by the 2023 Disaster Supplement bill, this project aims to repair damage from storms and enhance resiliency to create an optimal visitor experience and improve safety while minimizing potential impacts on natural and cultural resources.
Castillo de San Marcos National Monument joins a growing number of tourism and recreation-related organizations in northeast Florida to be awarded the Certified Autism Center™ designation by The International Board of Credentialing and Continuing Education Standards (IBCCES).