Fort Matanzas National Monument

Address:8635 A1A South
St. Augustine, Florida
Tel: (904) 471-0116

Visit the exciting Fort Matanzas National Monument and venture back to a time when the Spanish held Florida with an iron fist. at the near. The 227-acre Fort Matanzas National Monument, located near Summer Haven, Florida, preserves a Spanish fort built to defend a rear entrance into St. Augustine, and offers visitors nature trails and tours to explore the area.

Work began on the Spanish fort, Fort Matanzas, in 1740, to guard the Matanzas Inlet in northern Florida. In 1742, even before its completion, Fort Matanzas was almost attacked by a British fleet under Governor James Oglethorpe of Georgia. Fort Matanzas repulsed this attack in the only time the fort ever fired on an enemy. By the time the United States took control of Florida in 1819, Fort Matanzas had already been largely abandoned by the Spanish, making the fort uninhabitable by troops. In 1916, restoration work began on the site, and in 1924 it was declared the Fort Matanzas National Monument.

Self-guided tours of the remains of Fort Matanzas allow you to absorb the fascinating exhibits for themselves. An eight-minute video at the fort's visitor center outlines the history and significance of the fort, and a half-mile nature trail exposes visitors to the area's beautiful surroundings. After your experience at the Fort Matanzas National Monument, you can find a variety of restaurants nearby, including pizza and seafood.

To get to the Fort Matanzas National Monument, take I-95 to exit 305, then turn right on Highway A1A.