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Welcome to Castillo de San Marcos National Monument.
When you hear the name of this fort,
you should also hear the word legacy,
because that's what this fort is about,
the people who came before.
This site tells the story
of over 450 cultural intersections.
It also tells the story of the Spanish who built the fort over 340 years ago.
Now, its age makes it special,
but the other thing that makes it really unique
is that it is made out of coquina.
Coquina is a shell stone rock,
basically fossilized seashell.
Another aspect of the Castillo
that makes it special is its design.
It's in the shape of a star.
This engineering allowed the people of this town
to protect it successfully from its enemies.
Now, its age, its building material, the shape,
all of these factors play a role in telling the story
of who America is, the early years and onward.
And I encourage you to find out more
about how this place helps a number
of diverse cultures connect themselves to the Castillo.
And I hope you can visit us online
and, better yet, come visit us in person
and find out why national monuments exist,
because the Castillo tells the story of early America.
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