The historic city of St Augustine FL was founded by the Spanish in 1565. Over the next four and a half centuries, it was burned to the ground nine times by pirates, native attacks, and British troops, was ruled by Britain for 21 years before returning to Spanish rule, then sold to the US, joined the Confederacy, was captured by the Union Navy, served as a prison during several wars, and is now the oldest existing city in the United States.
Here are some photos from a recent visit:
200-foot cross marking the spot where Pedro Menendez de Aviles landed in 1565 to found the city of St Augustine FL.
St George Street, St Augustine
The Castillo de San Marcos, stone fort built to defend the city in 1672.
View of the harbor from the Castillo.
The city gates. A wooden wall was built around the city by the Spanish to protect it; this stone gate was built in 1808.
The town plaza, built in 1572 and later named Constitution Square, to celebrate the Spanish constitution of 1812. It now contains a number of war memorials and a civil rights memorial.
Magnolia Street. The tunnel effect is from Live Oak trees arching over the road, draped with Spanish Moss. It was once named by National Geographic Magazine as one of the Ten Most Beautiful Streets in the US.
Statue of Ponce de Leon, the Spanish conquistador who found Florida.
Statue of Pedro Menendez de Aviles, founder of St Augustine.
The Cathedral of St Augustine, the oldest Catholic Parrish in the US.
The St Photios Shrine, Greek Orthodox Shrine built in 1749 by settlers from the Greek Island of Minorca.
The Oliveros House, built in 1798
The Ponce de Leon Hotel, constructed in 1888.. The first hotel built in Florida by former Standard Oil exec Henry Flagler. Flagler also financed the construction of a railroad running along the east coast of Florida, to carry people to his hotel and resort. The Ponce de Leon was the first hotel in the US with running water and electricity. Today, the building houses Flagler College.
The Alcazar Hotel, built by Flagler in 1888. It was the second hotel he built in St Augustine. It is now occupied by the Lightner Museum.
The Memorial Church, built by Flagler in honor of his wife and daughter.
The Old Jail.
The Kirby-Smith House. The Confederate General Edmund Kirby-Smith was born here in 1823, and lived here until 1887. Kirby-Smith was the last Confederate General to surrender his forces during the Civil War.
The Lighthouse, on Anastasia Island. Built in 1874 to replace the older lighthouse that collapsed.
The St Augustine History Museum.
Archaeological artifacts excavated in St Augustine.