National Park Handbooks are published to support the National Park Service’s management programs and to promote understanding and enjoyment of the more than 360 National Park System sites that represent important examples of our country’s natural and cultural inheritance. Each handbook is intended to be informative reading and a useful guide before, during, and after a park visit. More than 100 titles are in print. They are sold at parks and can be purchased by mail from the Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington, DC 20402-9325.

The National Park Service expresses its appreciation to all those persons who made the preparation and production of this handbook possible. The original text for this handbook was written by Albert Manucy and Luis Arana and appeared as The Building of the Castillo de San Marcos. The vault construction, drawbridge, and siege illustrations on pages 33, 34, and 47 are based on artwork originally developed by Albert Manucy. The National Park Service also expresses its appreciation to Eastern National Park and Monument Association for its cooperation in this project. All photos and artwork not credited below come from the files of the Castillo de San Marcos or of the National Park Service.

Archivo General de Indias, Seville 18, 49

Michael Hampshire 31 (detail), 34

Karen Kasmauski 2-3

Ken Laffal cover, 12, 16, 24, 25, 26 (photographs), 29, 35, 36, 38, 42, 48, 50, 52, 55, 57, 58-59, 60

Library of Congress 4, 10, 26-27 (map), 49

National Geographic Society 14, 15, 22-23

Ken Townsend 30-31, 40-41