4,000th Review
Located in the heart of America's oldest city, the Plaza de la Constitucion has been the center of everything St. Augustine for centuries and definitely worthy of my 4000th review although I'm not so sure I can do this place justice. I've been here many times. Since St. Augustine is a walking town for the most part even if you're a trolley rider this "park" is always a welcoming sight when you're looking for a shady spot to take a break away from the bars, shops and also a place to regather your sanity if you're experiencing a little historic sightseeing overload.
This plaza offers a great people watching opportunity asides from its share of monuments, historic markers, cannons, statues, placards, and seasonal enhancements. I always stop here and find a bench to reset before continuing the endless journey around St. Augustine, I don't think it's possible to see it all even if you're a local, every step in this town is connected to something historic, I doubt there's a square inch of property here that hasn't been trampled on or photographed a million times before you came to town.
If you need to reset your compass, to the east is the Bridge of Lions, to the north Saint George Street, to the west the The Governor's House and to the south if you're up for a walk The National Cemetery with an abundance of not so advertised sights along the way.
The streets surrounding this beautiful park are congested and combined with the street side parking and a fair share of jay-walkers navigating this area requires your full attention but definitely worth stopping in if only for a few moments.
The Plaza de la Constitucion is the oldest public space in America. Laid out by Spanish Royal Ordinances in 1573, it's been and still remains, a social gathering place for many special events throughout the year.
The Constitution Monument is an obelisk constructed in 1813 in celebration of the newly formed government in Spain. As the capital of the Spanish colony of Florida, St. Augustine was decreed by Spain to build it. Today, it is believed to be the only surviving monument of its kind.
The Public Market Place was originally built in 1598. It was rebuilt in 1824 and used as a market for the sale of meats and produce. It was here where a standard of weights and measures was first introduced in the country. The market place was rebuilt in 1888 following a fire in 1887. There's a lot of history here as there is across the ancient city but it all starts here... read more