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The strategic location of St. Augustine made it a focal point for conflict among various colonial powers. Although established as a Spanish outpost, the city faced threats from English privateers like Sir Francis Drake, who laid siege in 1586 and burned the wooden structures of the town.
To counter these threats, the Castillo de San Marcos was commissioned in 1672, designed by Ignatio Daza and constructed from coquina, a type of limestone made of shells. Completed in 1695, the fort served as North America's oldest masonry fortification, and its construction was a direct response to the need for a stable military presence in the area.