CASTLES PUERTO RICO

Fort Jefferson is the largest brick masonry structure in the Americas, built on an island in the Dry Tortugas, Florida, 68 miles west of Key West in the Gulf of Mexico. Constructed with over 16 million bricks beginning in 1847, this massive pentagonal fort spans 16 acres and served as a Union stronghold throughout the Civil War. The fort housed notable prisoners including Dr. Samuel Mudd, and was proclaimed a National Monument in 1935, later becoming part of Dry Tortugas National Park in 1992. The surrounding islands provide excellent snorkeling in shallow waters and attract over 299 bird species, making it a unique destination combining history and natural beauty.

Fort Sumter National Monument, now designated as Fort Sumter and Fort Moultrie National Historical Park, sits in the middle of Charleston Harbor in South Carolina and marks the symbolic beginning of the American Civil War. Construction of this coastal fortification began in 1829 but remained incomplete when Confederate forces under General P.G.T. Beauregard bombarded the Union garrison on April 12, 1861, triggering the nation's bloodiest conflict. Accessible only by ferry through Fort Sumter Tours, visitors can explore the fort and learn its compelling history at the Fort Sumter Visitor Education Center. The park encompasses both Fort Sumter and its sister fortification Fort Moultrie, collectively interpreting centuries of coastal defense.