Exploring the Historic Forts of St. Augustine: Castillo de San Marcos and Fort Matanzas

Hey everyone! Today we are in historic St. Augustine, Florida, to explore two incredible landmarks: the Castillo de San Marcos and Fort Matanzas. These two forts are not only rich in history but also offer some absolutely stunning views that you won’t want to miss.

Table of Contents:

1. What is the Castillo de San Marcos?

2. How much is admission to the Castillo de San Marcos?

3. Where can you park at the Castillo de San Marcos?

4. What can you see on a tour of Castillo de San Marcos?

5. What is Fort Matanzas and how do you visit it?

6. What can you see on a tour of Fort Matanzas?

7. Is it worth visiting Castillo de San Marcos and Fort Matanzas?

What is the Castillo de San Marcos?

View of the Castillo de San Marcos from one of its star-shaped corners, highlighting the impressive coquina walls and surrounding moat

The Castillo de San Marcos, located in St. Augustine, Florida, is the oldest masonry fort in the continental United States. Built by the Spanish from 1672 to 1695, the fort was constructed to defend Florida and the Atlantic trade route from pirate raids and other European powers. The fort is built with coquina walls, made from seashells that effectively absorbed cannon fire which made it nearly indestructible. Over the centuries, the Castillo has been under Spanish, British, and American control, who all have left their mark on the fort. Today, it stands as a monument to the region's rich history and cultural intersections and is managed by the National Park Service.

How much is admission to the Castillo de San Marcos?

Visitors exploring the Castillo de San Marcos, with views of the star-shaped fort's coquina walls and the adjacent Matanzas River.

Admission to the Castillo de San Marcos is $15 per adult, and guests under the age of 15 can enter for free. If you have an “America the Beautiful” National Parks Pass, you can use it for entry here as well.

Where can you park at the Castillo de San Marcos?

A view from the top of Castillo de San Marcos overlooking the parking lot and the main entrance of the historic fort.

There is a parking lot located right in front of the Castillo. Parking at the Castillo costs $2.50 per hour, but it is limited. If you arrive later in the day, you might be better off parking at the Historic Downtown Parking Facility which is a short walk away and costs $20 for the whole day.

What can you see on a tour of Castillo de San Marcos?

The imposing stone walls of Castillo de San Marcos, surrounded by a grassy moat, highlight the fort's strategic design and historical significance as a defensive structure in St. Augustine.

Outside and Moat: The Castillo de San Marcos is a massive Spanish fort built 350 years ago to protect St. Augustine from sea attacks. The fort is surrounded by a moat that provided additional protection and a place to keep livestock. The fort's walls are made of over 400,000 blocks of coquina stone.

Visitors cross the drawbridge and enter Castillo de San Marcos, where a series of defenses including outer and inner drawbridges, a heavy sliding gate, and the ravelin stand guard.

Entrance: The entrance to the fort is heavily guarded by an elaborate set of defenses, including outer and inner drawbridges, a heavy sliding gate, and the ravelin.

The Spanish Guard rooms at Castillo de San Marcos, where soldiers rested, cooked, and socialized while on duty. This area also housed a locked room that served as the town jail, detaining notable figures such as South Carolina statesman Christopher Gadsden.

Guard Rooms & Prison: The Spanish Guard rooms were used by soldiers to rest, cook, and socialize while on duty. There is also a locked room here served as the town jail, where notable figures like South Carolina statesman Christopher Gadsden were held.

The former soldiers' quarters at Castillo de San Marcos have been transformed into a charming bookstore and gift shop, where visitors can get their National Parks passport stamped.

Bookstore: The former soldiers' quarters now serve as a bookstore and gift shop, where you can get your National Parks passport stamped.

The central courtyard of Castillo de San Marcos, where soldiers drilled with their muskets and the entire community sought refuge during sieges.

Courtyard: In the center of the Castillo is the courtyard, where soldiers drilled with their muskets and the entire community took refuge during sieges.

Explore the various rooms of Castillo de San Marcos, including the Spanish Coat of Arms & Sally Port Door, storage rooms, artillery quarters, gunpowder room, and the room where Native Americans and soldiers left behind carvings.

Various Rooms: Explore rooms like the Spanish Coat of Arms & Sally Port Door, storage rooms, artillery quarters, gunpowder room, and the room where Native Americans and soldiers left behind carvings.

The gundeck of Castillo de San Marcos, where over 60 cannons of varying sizes were mounted, with the largest cannons boasting a range of approximately three miles.

Gundeck: The gundeck and surrounding city wall mounted over 60 cannons of varying sizes, with the largest having a range of approximately three miles.

What is Fort Matanzas and how do you visit it?

Fort Matanzas, a National Monument located 14 miles south of Castillo de San Marcos, offers free admission and is accessible only by ferry.

Fort Matanzas is located 14 miles south of the Castillo de San Marcos and is also a National Monument. Unlike the Castillo, admission to Fort Matanzas is completely free for everyone. The only way to get to the fort is by ferry, which runs hourly on the half-hour from 9:30 AM to 4:30 PM.

What can you see on a tour of Fort Matanzas?

The visitor center at Fort Matanzas is where you can park, get your National Parks Passport Stamp, and collect your ferry ticket.

Visitor Center & Ferry Ride: The visitor center is where you’ll park, get your National Parks Passport Stamp, and get your ticket for the ferry.

The gundeck on the first level of Fort Matanzas, featuring two of the original cannons still in place.

Gundeck: The first level is where the gundeck is located, with two of the original cannons still present.

The soldier’s quarters at Fort Matanzas, showcasing a table with replicas of the food and wine soldiers would have consumed, providing a glimpse into their daily life where they cooked, ate, and slept.

Soldier’s Quarters: This is where soldiers cooked, ate, and slept, with seven to ten men occupying the fort at a time.

The Officer’s Quarters and Powder Magazine Room on the second level of Fort Matanzas, featuring antique historical guns and a replica bag of gunpowder.

Officer’s Quarters & Powder Magazine Room: The second level housed the Officer’s Quarters and the Powder Magazine.

The Observation Deck at Fort Matanzas offers stunning views of the entire waterway and surrounding marshland.

Observation Deck: The Observation Deck offers stunning views of the entire waterway and surrounding marshland.

Is it worth visiting Castillo de San Marcos and Fort Matanzas?

A close-up of a historic cannon at Castillo de San Marcos, aimed towards the modern cityscape of St. Augustine.

Both Castillo de San Marcos and Fort Matanzas are incredible places to visit, each with its own unique history and charm. Whether you're a history buff or just love exploring new places, these forts are definitely worth a visit.

If you’re in the area, I highly recommend making a stop at the Fountain of Youth park where you can drink from the legendary fountain itself. You can read more about the Fountain of Youth in my blog below.