Gundeck

The original sentry tower fell off the fort. The current one is a replica, built in 1929.

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Historical/Interpretive Information/Exhibits

The gundeck is the most fearsome part of the fort. At one time, this watchtower boasted 5 cannons, one of which could shoot up to three miles down range.

Fort Matanzas is a very simple structure, its main strengths being the artillery and its strategic location. Five cannons once guarded the fort. Each cannon could easily reach the inlet, then only a half-mile away. Two original cannon still stand guard at the fort today. These guns were placed at the fort in 1793 and left behind by the Spanish when they departed Florida in 1821. The other two cannon now on the gun deck are modern reproductions used for the park's cannon firing demonstrations.