Fort Matanzas National Monument was instrumental in defending the southern approach to the Spanish military settlement of St. Augustine. The monument consists of a 1742 Spanish fort called Fort Matanzas, and around 100 acres of salt marsh and barrier islands along the Matanzas River on the northern Atlantic coast of Florida. Fort Matanzas was built by the Spanish in 1742 to guard Matanzas Inlet, the southern mouth of the Matanzas River, which could be used as a rear entrance to the city of St. Augustine.
The Fort Matanzas National Monument Headquarters and Visitor Center, located at 8635 A1A about 15 miles south of St. Augustine, Florida, was built in 1936.
The Visitor Center and park grounds are open daily from 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. The Fort is accisble via a passenger ferry which runs from 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Wednesday through Sunday. Both the ferry and admission to the Fort are FREE, however, guests must stop at the Visitor Center to obtain a ferry pass.
