Castillo de San Marcos – Haunted Fort in St. Augustine, Florida

Standing guard over St. Augustine’s waterfront since 1695, Castillo de San Marcos is America’s oldest masonry fort and one of its most haunted. Centuries of battles, imprisonments, and tragic deaths have left their mark on these ancient coquina walls, making it a hotspot for paranormal activity.

Historical Background

Year Built: 1672-1695

Original Purpose: The fort was built by the Spanish to defend St. Augustine from British attacks and pirate raids. Over its 300+ year history, it served as a military prison, housed Native American prisoners during the Seminole Wars, and witnessed countless deaths from disease, battle, and execution.

Significant Events: In 1784, Colonel Garcia Martí discovered the skeletal remains of a Spanish soldier and a young woman walled up in a dungeon, victims of a jealous rage. The fort also held Apache prisoners in the 1880s, many of whom died from tuberculosis and despair far from their homeland.

Paranormal Activity Summary

Visitors and staff consistently report phantom footsteps echoing through empty corridors, the sounds of cannon fire when no reenactments are scheduled, and the overwhelming smell of cigar smoke in areas where smoking has never been permitted. Cold spots materialize suddenly in the dungeons, even on sweltering Florida summer days.

Shadow figures have been spotted patrolling the gun deck at night, and mysterious voices speaking Spanish whisper from the stone walls. One of the most unsettling phenomena is the sound of chains dragging across the floor in the old prison cells, accompanied by anguished moans.

The most commonly reported spirit is that of a Spanish soldier who appears on the ramparts at dusk, still standing watch after all these years. Visitors also encounter the ghost of a woman in a flowing gown, believed to be the unfortunate lady entombed in the walls centuries ago.

Ghost Stories & Reports

The star-crossed lovers entombed in the dungeon remain the fort’s most tragic tale. According to legend, Colonel Garcia Martí discovered his wife having an affair with a soldier and, in a rage, sealed them both alive behind a stone wall where their screams went unheard.

Guests frequently report feeling watched in the dungeons and experiencing sudden drops in temperature. Some have captured mysterious orbs and shadow figures in photographs, while others report their cameras and phones mysteriously malfunctioning in certain areas.

The ghosts of Apache prisoners are said to roam the fort, particularly near the cells where they were held. Visitors have reported hearing Native American chanting and seeing apparitions in traditional Apache clothing standing silently in the shadows.

Many paranormal investigators believe the fort’s coquina stone, made from compressed seashells, acts as a natural recorder of traumatic events. This might explain why so many people report experiencing residual hauntings—like watching a recording of the past play out before their eyes.

Most Haunted Spot Inside

The old dungeon where the lovers were discovered remains the most actively haunted location in the fort. Visitors report feeling an overwhelming sense of sadness and dread, with some becoming physically ill or breaking down in tears without understanding why.

Can You Visit?

Open to the Public? Yes

Entry Fee: Adults $15, Children (15 and under) free

Tour Availability: The fort offers daily tours from 9 AM to 5 PM, and special moonlight ghost tours are available on select evenings through third-party operators. Rangers don’t officially discuss the hauntings during daytime tours, but many have their own stories to share if you ask.

Photography Allowed? Yes

Visiting Hours: Open daily from 8:45 AM to 5:00 PM, closed only on Thanksgiving and Christmas Day.

Best Time to Visit

Paranormal activity seems to peak during the cooler months from October through March, with the most reports coming in around Halloween. Many ghost hunters prefer visiting during the off-season when fewer tourists are present, as the quiet atmosphere makes it easier to detect unusual phenomena.

First-Hand Accounts & Eyewitness Reports

A park ranger reported in 2019 that while locking up one evening, she heard distinct footsteps following her through the empty fort, only to turn around and find no one there. When she reached the main gate, she heard a man’s voice clearly say “buenos noches” behind her, despite being completely alone.

Paranormal investigator teams have captured EVPs (electronic voice phenomena) of Spanish phrases and what sounds like musket fire. In 2015, a team from the Atlantic Paranormal Society recorded what they believe to be the voice of a woman crying “ayúdame” (help me) in the dungeon.

Multiple visitors have shared experiences on paranormal forums about seeing a figure in Spanish colonial dress walking the gun deck who vanishes when approached. One family’s vacation photo from 2018 appears to show a translucent soldier standing in a cannon embrasure, though no one was visible when the picture was taken.

Local Legends & Myths

Beyond the tragic lovers, locals tell of “The Watcher”—a ghostly sentry who appears as a dark silhouette against the fort’s walls at sunset. According to legend, he’s a Spanish soldier who abandoned his post during a critical battle, leading to the death of his comrades, and is now cursed to stand watch for eternity.

Another chilling legend involves the “Weeping Woman” who walks the seawall during storms. Some believe she’s the ghost of a woman who jumped from the ramparts after learning her sailor husband was lost at sea, while others claim she’s searching for children who drowned during a hurricane evacuation.

Paranormal Investigations & Findings

The fort has been featured on multiple paranormal television shows, including “Ghost Hunters” and “Most Haunted.” During these investigations, teams have documented unexplained temperature fluctuations of up to 30 degrees, electromagnetic field spikes with no identifiable source, and numerous EVP recordings.

In 2017, a team using thermal imaging cameras captured what appeared to be a human-shaped heat signature moving through a locked area of the fort after hours. The footage showed the figure ascending stairs and passing through walls where doorways once existed centuries ago.

The site has become so well-known in paranormal circles that it’s now considered one of the most scientifically documented haunted locations in America. Multiple research teams have collected hundreds of hours of evidence over the past two decades, with many considering the fort a legitimate case of genuine paranormal activity.