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St. Augustine was founded in 1565 when Spanish explorer Don Pedro Menendez de Aviles and nearly 800 colonists arrived to establish a settlement to protect Spain's claim to La Florida, convert the local natives to Christianity, and to protect the coastal waters where Spain's ships sailed. The architecture of the city demonstrates influences of the many people that defined the city since its 16th century founding. Spanish fortresses, Spanish Colonial-style buildings, opulent Moorish Renaissance-style hotels, Venetian Revival churches, and gracious Victorian-style homes add to the impressive skyline. The Castillo de San Marcos, built between 1671 and 1693 to protect the city from raiding pirates, stands in testament to the enduring spirit of the people of St. Augustine. Constructed of native coquina rock, it is the oldest masonry fortification in the U.S. The National Parks Service operates the Castillo de San Marcos and provides programs, exhibits, and demonstrations that tell the story of St. Augustine's military past. On St. Augustine's Bayfront, modern-day explorers are rewarded with a stroll along narrow streets with colonial-style buildings that house boutiques, galleries, cafes, and charming bed and breakfast inns. The old town is filled with walled in gardens and overhanging balconies and exudes a feeling of authentic history and inspired romance. Closer to the city's central Plaza, examples of the Gilded Age are abundant. Flagler College, the former Hotel Ponce de Leon, built 1887 in Spanish Renaissance-style by oil tycoon and railroad baron Henry M. Flagler, is open for tours daily. Students lead tours from the main lobby to the opulent dining room featuring gold-leaf painted murals and Tiffany stained-glass windows and into the Lady's parlor, where the hotel's history is detailed.. Castillo at sunrise