Plaza de la Constitución

Plaza de la Constitución

Located in the heart of historic St. Augustine, the Plaza de la Constitución is the oldest public space in America. In 1573, the plaza was laid out by royal Spanish ordinances which required that the rectangular plaza be oriented to the primary compass points and as the center for public activity, government buildings like the treasury, Cathedral Basilica, and Governor’s House were to face the plaza.

The plaza earned its proper name from the obelisk that was erected to celebrate the Spanish Constitution of 1812. Other monuments located in the park include a tribute to American Revolution prisoners, one to honor soldiers killed in WWII, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War, and a newer installation to commemorate the civil rights movement in St. Augustine — known as the Foot Soldiers Monument.

A pre-1700s well has been designated as an American Water Landmark, and the town plan and plaza were designated a National Historic Landmark in 1970.

The Plaza faces the Bridge of Lions and features a central pavilion used for city events, private events, and live entertainment. There is also a public market that has been in use since the 1500s, when fish, vegetables, and other goods were traded here. Today, local vendors set up tables to sell their wares.

Visitors can enjoy local events like the summer Concerts in the Plaza series and the Nights of Lights during the holidays. The plaza is surrounded by large cannons which make for a fun vacation photo op.

LOCATION

Plaza de la Constitución

170 St. George Street, St. Augustine, FL 32084

ALBUQUERQUE LITTLE THEATRE

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  • ico-y-wscreen.pngBottger Mansion of Old Town
  • ico-y-wscreen.pngLiu Chinese
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Featured Venues

Lightner Museum

With sparkling crystal chandeliers, intricate mosaic tile flooring, majestic arched windows, and carved wooden staircases, Lightner Museum is a show-stopper! The museum opened in 1948, displaying the collections of Otto C. Lightner, which include 19th-century artwork, glassware, sculpture, furniture, stained glass, and antique chandeliers throughout the three floors of exhibits. Originally built as the Hotel Alcazar in 1888 by Standard Oil co-founder Henry Flagler, this beautiful structure was created in the Spanish Renaissance Revival Style. In addition to the Lightner Museum, it also houses St. Augustine City Hall, several antique shops, and Cafe Alcazar, a restaurant that sits in the location of what was once the world’s largest indoor swimming pool.

Beluthahatchee Park

Beluthahatchee Park is a four-acre park located within the 70-acre tract of land purchased by Stetson Kennedy in 1948 after the 18-acre Beluthahatchee Lake was created by impounding Mill Creek in 1945. This lake meanders through a natural basin and is surrounded by high bluffs, currently owned by the Lake Dwellers Association, a non-profit Florida corporation formed by the lakefront residents. In 1949, the 70-acre tract was subdivided and platted by the owner/developer Stetson Kennedy who recorded the restrictive covenants setting aside land in perpetuity as a wildlife refuge, and stipulating that residential construction be consistent with the developer’s goal of “serving as a working demonstration that human and natural habitat need not be mutually exclusive, but can coexist in harmony.”