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St. Augustine in St. Johns County, Florida — The American South (South Atlantic)
 

Under Continuous Attack / Bajo ataques continuos

Castillo de San Marcos National Monument

 
 
Under Continuous Attack / Bajo ataques continuos Marker image. Click for full size.
Photographed By Cosmos Mariner, December 12, 2018
1. Under Continuous Attack / Bajo ataques continuos Marker
Inscription.
Under Continuous Attack (English)
Castillo de San Marcos has been under attack since construction began in 1672. Enemy gunfire assaulted these walls with little damage. The unrelenting onslaught of time and weather, however, are taking a visible toll. National Park Service preservation crews constantly inspect the fort and carry out preservation work.

Past preservation work removed water from the moat to help stabilize the fort's foundation. Bright coquina shows where workers recently completed a project. The bright color will fade over time and blend with the surrounding stonework. During your visit, see if you can find preservation work in progress.

• The coquina stone is revealed as the historic layer of white plaster weathers away.
• Preservation efforts stabilize this coquina chimney, but the outer plater layer has not been replaced.

Bajo ataques continuos (Spanish)
El Castillo de San Marcos ha sido objeto de ataque desde que comenzó a construirse en 1672. Los cañonazos enemigos atacaron estas murallas ocasionando pocos daños. Sin embargo, la incesante embestida del tiempo y el clima han tenido un impacto visible. Los equipos de preservación del National Park Service inspeccionan el castillo constantemente y llevan a cabo obras de
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preservación.

En obras pasadas de preservación se removió el agua del foso para ayudar a estabilizar los cimientos del castillo. Las secciones donde la coquína está más brillante son muestra de que se ha completado una obra recientemente. El color más intenso se desvanecerá con el tiempo y se asimilará al resto de la piedra. Durante su visita, vea si puede encontrar obras de preservación en progreso.

• La coquina queda expuesta a medida que se erosiona la capa histórica de enlucido.
• Esfuerzos de preservación han estabilizado esta chimenea de coquina, pero no se reemplazara la capa de enlucido.
 
Erected 2018 by National Park Service, U.S. Department of the Interior.
 
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Colonial EraForts and CastlesHispanic Americans.
 
Location. 29° 53.834′ N, 81° 18.709′ W. Marker is in St. Augustine, Florida, in St. Johns County. Marker can be reached from the intersection of South Castillo Drive (State Road A1A) (Business U.S. 1) and Cuna Street, on the right when traveling north. Marker is located on the Castillo de San Marcos National Monument grounds, along the sidewalk on the south side of the fort, near the main entrance, overlooking the San Pedro Bastion.
Continuous Attack Marker (<i>wide view; related marker on left; San Pedro Bastion in background</i>) image. Click for full size.
Photographed By Cosmos Mariner, December 12, 2018
2. Continuous Attack Marker (wide view; related marker on left; San Pedro Bastion in background)
Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 1 South Castillo Drive, Saint Augustine FL 32084, United States of America. Touch for directions.
 
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. Defense in Depth / Capas de defensas (here, next to this marker); Engulfed in Flames / Devorada por las llamas (within shouting distance of this marker); St. Peter's Bastion (within shouting distance of this marker); Crumbling Coquina / Piedra frágil (within shouting distance of this marker); Covered Way (within shouting distance of this marker); Well (within shouting distance of this marker); Firing Steps (within shouting distance of this marker); Ramp (within shouting distance of this marker). Touch for a list and map of all markers in St. Augustine.
 
More about this marker. Marker is a large rectangular composite plaque, mounted horizontally on waist-high metal posts.
 
Related markers. Click here for a list of markers that are related to this marker. Castillo de San Marcos National Monument
 
Also see . . .  The Stone That Saved Spanish Florida. Given its light and porous nature, coquina would seem to be a poor choice of building material for a fort. However, coquina's porosity turned out to have an unexpected benefit. A cannon ball fired at more solid material,
Under Continuous Attack Marker (<i>wide view; Castillo moat & main gate in background</i>) image. Click for full size.
Photographed By Cosmos Mariner, December 12, 2018
3. Under Continuous Attack Marker (wide view; Castillo moat & main gate in background)
such as granite or brick would shatter the wall into flying shards, but cannon balls fired at the walls of the Castillo burrowed their way into the rock and stuck there, much like a bb would if fired into Styrofoam. So the thick coquina walls absorbed or deflected projectiles rather than yielding to them, providing a surprisingly long-lived fortress. (Submitted on December 19, 2018, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.) 
 
San Pedro Bastion water erosion damage image. Click for full size.
Photographed By Cosmos Mariner, December 12, 2018
4. San Pedro Bastion water erosion damage
Coquina Chimney Preservation Efforts (<i>chimneys are located on top of San Pedro Bastion</i>) image. Click for full size.
Photographed By Cosmos Mariner, December 12, 2018
5. Coquina Chimney Preservation Efforts (chimneys are located on top of San Pedro Bastion)
San Pedro Bastion water erosion damage (<i>wide view from marker</i>) image. Click for full size.
Photographed By Cosmos Mariner, December 12, 2018
6. San Pedro Bastion water erosion damage (wide view from marker)
 
 
Credits. This page was last revised on August 20, 2020. It was originally submitted on December 10, 2018, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida. This page has been viewed 138 times since then and 9 times this year. Photos:   1, 2, 3. submitted on December 12, 2018, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.   4, 5, 6. submitted on December 13, 2018, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida. • Bill Pfingsten was the editor who published this page.

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Apr. 28, 2024