As the nation’s oldest permanently occupied European settlement, St. Augustine is teeming with visible history. Almost everywhere you turn you can catch a glimpse at what life was like for people hundreds of years ago. People flock from all over the country, and even the world, to visit this beautiful place. With deeply planted roots, this delicately built-up city accommodates thousands of visitors every year. With so much history in one place, it’s hard to know where to begin. The following are the five top must-see historical sites in all of St. Augustine:
St. Augustine Lighthouse and Museum: What was actually built as a watchtower by St. Augustine’s founder, Pedro Menendez in 1565, stands today more than 165 feet above the ground, with a beautiful black and white spiral body and a red top observation deck that provides visitors with amazing views of the surrounding area.
Take one of the daily guided tours, which gets you behind-the-scene entry to areas normally off-limits to the public; explore the museum grounds where volunteer craftsmen build traditional wooden boats; or take one of their specialty tours, like the Lost Ships tour, or the Dark of the Moon tour, which lets you investigate the reputed most haunted place in St. Augustine. For more information, call (904) 829-0745.
Castillo de San Marcos: The venerable site of Castillo de San Marcos is a large Spanish stone fortress that is more than 315 years old. The fortress is also a National Monument, as the oldest structure in the nation’s first town. It’s no wonder that the impenetrable fortress brings visitors in droves to explore its many rooms and cells, wide-open interior courtyard, and gun deck, which provides spectacular views of the city of St. Augustine. For more information, call (904) 829-6506.
Fountain of Youth Archaeological Park: Located in the area first explored by Juan Ponce de Leon in 1513, the Fountain of Youth Archaeological Park is said to be the original site of the city. Today, visitors can enjoy the 15 acres of waterfront gardens as leisurely as they want. With more than 500 years of settled history beneath your footsteps, you can take a walk back in time guided by the park’s many tours, exploring spots like the 1565 Menendez Settlement Field, the 600-foot Founders Riverwalk, and the new Spanish Watchtower. For more information, call (904) 829-3168.
Flagler College: The historic campus of Flagler College brings visitors from around the world to experience the awe-inspiring architecture of the Spanish Renaissance masterpiece that is the Ponce de Leon Hotel, the first major poured-in concrete building in the country built in 1888 by the Gilded Age railroad pioneer, Henry Morrison Flagler. The hotel, powered by the Edison Electric Company and featuring such magnificence as Tiffany stained-glass windows, quickly gained fame and thus brought more visitors to the city, via Flagler’s own railroad. Today, guided tours take visitors throughout the buildings and grounds, which used today as a functioning educational institution. For more information, call (904) 829-6481.
Mission of Nombre De Dios & Leche Shrine: Recognized by its giant stainless steel cross, which stands at 208 feet tall, “The Mission” is the oldest Catholic parish in the United States. Visitors come from far and wide to explore the beautiful grounds where the very first parish Mass was said to be held in 1565. Located along the marshes of the Matanzas River, just north of old town, the historical, beautiful site is a must-see on anyone’s St. Augustine vacation. For more information, call (904) 824-2809.
To truly begin to dig into the historical culture of St. Augustine, start with these five must-see stops on your next vacation to the old city, and experience for yourself a sense of where it all began.
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