News Release

Castillo by Candlelight: Taking the Plunge 2018

Date: October 11, 2018

St. Augustine, FL - In honor of Hispanic Heritage Month, Castillo de San Marcos National Monument will host a special evening tour on Saturday, October 20, 2018.  Please join us for a special look at soldier life in the Castillo during the First Spanish period (1565-1763).

During the early years of the Spanish colony, much of the city of St. Augustine directly relied on military pay to survive. But being a soldier was not only a job, it was a way of life. Accompany us as we follow a young man taking the plunge and joining the ranks as a soldier in defense of his hometown. Discover if you have what it takes to be part of the garrison that successfully protected St. Augustine for almost 200 years.   

There will be three nighttime candlelit tours of the fort covering this period in history, with each lasting roughly 45 minutes. Tours depart from the ticket booth at 6:15, 7:15 and 8:15 pm. Nonrefundable tickets are available, on a first come, first serve basis, and may be purchased on or after September 30 at the ticket booth or by calling [phone] ext. 239, Monday through Friday 9:00 am to 4:00 pm. Space is limited. The cost is $10 per adult ages 16 and up, $5 per child ages 5 to 15, and children under 5 free. For questions, please call [phone] ext. 233.


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.  

Fort Matanzas National Monument preserves the fortified watchtower, completed in 1742, which defended the southern approach to the Spanish military settlement of St. Augustine, and protects approximately 300 acres of Florida coastal environment.

More than 20,000 National Park Service employees care for America's more than 400 national parks and work with communities across the nation to help preserve local history and create close-to-home recreational opportunities. Learn more at www.nps.gov and visit us on Facebook www.facebook.com/nationalparkservice, Twitter www.twitter.com/natlparkservice, and YouTube www.youtube.com/nationalparkservice.

-NPS-