Tip:
Highlight text to annotate it
X
Castillo De San Marco -- St. Augustine, Florida is home to the oldest masonry fort in the
United Station. The Castillo de San Marcos was first built in 1672 by Spain during its
occupancy in Florida. From 1763 through 1784 Britain occupied the state and renamed the
masonry St. Mark. When Florida became a U.S. territory in 1821 The Castillo de San Marcos
became Fort Marion, named after Francis Marion, a revolutionary war hero. It was not until
1942 that the Congress renamed the building Castillo de San Marcos. This masonry was built
with coquina stone, "little shells" in Spanish. BASTION
A part built out from a corner of a fort. It allowed defenders of the fort to fire upon
a greater area. The Castillo de San Marcos has four bastions.
Cocquina The type of rock from which the Castillo de
San Marcos is made. This rock is made up of small pieces of shell that have been cemented
together. Curtin
A wall that connected two bastions and was part of the main wall of the fort. It is also
called a scarp. Drawbridge
A bridge that could be raised and lowered. It was lowered to allow people with business
in the fort to cross the moat. It was raised to prevent all others from entering.
GLACIS A gradual slope created between a fort and
open country to prevent surprise attacks. It allowed defenders to see and fire on attackers
coming from some distance. Moat
A wide, deep ditch dug around a fort or castle to prevent attackers from entering. Moats
were usually filled with water. PORTCULLIS
A large door made of iron or wooden bars that closed behind the drawbridge to prevent attackers
from entering the fort. Powder Magazine
A room in which gunpowder was stored. The room was specially built to be cool and dry.
RAVELIN A triangle-shaped building in front of the
main gate of a fort that protected the entrance. Sally Port
An opening in the wall of a fort used by soldiers going out to attack. At the Castillo it is
also the only entrance to the fort. The photograph shows the original sally port door.
TERREPLEIN A broad, flat, raised area on which cannons
were placed and from which defenders of the fort fired on attackers. It is also called
a gundeck. Wells
Places from which fresh water is drawn. Wells were needed inside a fort because attackers
often surrounded forts to prevent food or water from reaching the people inside. This
way of forcing people inside a fort to surrender is called a siege.