Select from the buttons above to learn more about the significance of St. Augustine and these two fortresses in the story of our country.

Throughout its history, the Castillo de San Marcos has been closely intertwined with the city of St. Augustine and the neighboring structures which served as the city's outer defenses for many years - Fort Mose to the north and Fort Matanzas to the south. The Castillo and St. Augustine serve as outstanding reminders of the might of the early Spanish empire in the New World. Select from the buttons above to learn more about the significance of these destinations.

Fort Matanzas, located 14 miles south of St. Augustine, is also a National Monument. A ferry takes visitors across the Matanzas River to the historic fort. There is also a visitor center, a self-guided nature trail, and beaches on the ocean and river sides. Call (904) 471-0116 for more information or visit the Fort Matanzas Website.

Fort Matanzas represents a very well-preserved masonry watchtower fort built by the Spanish from 1740 to 1742. The tall tower provided a perch to observe vessels approaching St. Augustine from the south, and the cannon blocked potential enemy advancements up the Matanzas River, the backdoor to St. Augustine.

The area of the Matanzas inlet was the scene of another crucial event in Spanish colonial history. The massacre of French soldiers near there in 1565 was Spain's opening move in removing potential European threat to settlement and establishing a Spanish colony in Florida.

Click on the octogon to read about the Historical Biography of the Month! Come back next month and read about another person in the history of St. Augustine or Florida!