St. Augustine has a long and tragic history of pirate encounters. In 1586, 2,000 English pirates under the command of Sir Francis Drake burned the city to the ground. In 1668, more English pirates attacked the town and murdered 60 Spanish citizens, including the governor’s young daughter. This outrage prompted the Spanish King to order the building of Castillo de San Marcos. Completed in 1695, the fortress prevented further pirate attacks. Today, the Castillo provides a perfect setting for reliving those days when pirate ships could quickly appear on the horizon.
Meanwhile, just across the street, the St. Augustine Pirate and Treasure Museum takes young and old alike back to the Golden Age of Piracy. Housing the world’s largest collection of pirate artifacts, this interactive and fun museum features Disneyesque exhibits that entertain and educate. When the owner, Pat Croce, was asked why he placed his museum in St. Augustine, he said “it’s one of the few places in the world where you can look out the window and see where real pirates once walked the streets.”
6 окт 2024
