On the water front the parapet was lower. Around the outer edge of the terreplein is a wall 3 feet thick and 6 feet high, known as the parapet. The covering over the space between the inner and outer walls is called the terreplein, and is about 40 feet wide. The only entrance is through the sallyport in the middle of the south curtain. There are 26 casemates, five dungeons and one magazine. Plaza, Ramp, and Terreplein-The plaza, or inner court, is 100 feet square, and the casemates, with one or two exceptions, open into it. The walls are about 12 feet thick at the base, 9 feet at the top, and about 25 feet high. On three of the bastions are sentry towers, while on that to the northeast stands a high watch tower, commanding a view of both land and water. Charles, and four connecting walls called curtains. Notwithstanding the fact that most of the work was done by slaves, we are told that upwards of thirty million dollars were expended on the work, and the King of Spain, on learning this, exclaimed, "Its curtains and bastions must be made of solid silver."īastions and Towers-The fort has nearly equal bastions (the triangular-shaped corners), known as St. Here they were loaded on barges and transported down the creek and across the bay to the Castle, where they were again carried and placed in their present position. The blocks of cut stone were carried on cross-bars, resting on the shoulders of slaves, over a long causeway (still in an excellent state of preservation) to a landing on Quarry Creek. These quarries will richly repay a visit. After coming into possession of the United States the name was changed to Fort Marion, in honor of General Francis Marion of Revolutionary fame.īuilt of Coquina-The fort is built of coquina (a shell rock of natural formation, found only on the eastern coast of Florida), which was obtained from quarries two miles below the present light house, on what is known as the old quarry road. The works were directed by the Captain-Engineer, Don Pedro de Brazas y Garay.ĭuring all the Spanish rule the structure was known as San Marco Castle. Augustine, Florida, and its province, this fortress was finished in the year 1756. It was not until 1756, ninety-one years later, that the work, as we see it today, was finished and the engineer in charge could place over the entrance the coat of arms of Spain with inscription, which, translated, reads:ĭon Fernandez the Sixth being King of Spain, and Field Marshal Don Alonzo Fernandez de Herreda, Governor and Captain-General of the city of St. Spanish governors and soldiers came and went and still the work went on. Augustine Under Three Flags: Tourist Guide and History 1918Īfter John Davis' raid in 1665, the plans of the castle were changed and the work of reconstruction begun.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |