USA/FL: St Augustine – Castillo de San Marcos
St Augustine is the oldest city in the USA and the spectacular Spanish fort of Castillo de San Marcos is the oldest fort in the country. The fortress was built in 1627 and its absolutely spectacular, square in shape with a drawbridge and surrounded by a deep moat and with four star-shaped corner towers – altogether seemingly unconquerable. The stone that went into the construction of the fort is coquina, aka ancient shells compressed into a rock structure. The fort was attacked multiple times and besieged twice, although it was never conquered. It did change hands six times peacefully – between Spain and England and eventually the USA. You can walk all around the stunning medieval fort along its walls with great views of the fort itself and out toward the ocean (although it was starting to get stormy). The fort is a National Monument.
