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Sitting on a bench in a plaza, far, far away, I enjoy watching the citizens of the city come together. Older people sit on benches watching the children run and play. Patrons sip their lattes in outdoor cafes and sample the local cuisine. Vendors sell their wares and the old cathedral keeps watch over the entire setting, marking the hour with the tone of a mighty bell.
This scene can be found throughout many cities in the world. A few U.S. cities have town squares but being such a young country and one that tried to set itself apart, town squares are just not as prevalent.
Although everyone is familiar with the landing at Jamestown in 1607, many don’t realize that the oldest city in the United States had already been in existence since 1565, when the Jamestown settlers made their way ashore.
St. Augustine.
Plaza de la Constitution, the heart of St. Augustine, was established in 1573 by the Spanish Royal Ordinances and is the oldest public park in the United States.
When designed, the requirement was put in place that the plaza be oriented toward the primary compass points with a length equal to one and one-half times its width. Public and government buildings and churches were constructed facing the plaza and it was the place where the citizens of St. Augustine came to do business and meet their neighbors.
As I made a plan to see all of St. Augustine’s sights, one of the first things I noticed was Plaza de la Constitution. Thinking fondly of all the time I had spent abroad, enjoying the architecture and action of many plazas, piazzas, squares and parks (Piazza Navona in Rome, St. Mark’s Square in Venice, Plaza Mayor in Madrid, Plaza de Mayo in Buenos Aires, Trafalgar Square in London…just to name a few!) I knew that it would be the best place to start my explorations of the landmarks in the Old Town.
Among some of the sites within the park that I discovered were the old public well, which dates back to the 1600s, a pavilion used for city events and live entertainment, a monument to Confederate veterans, a 19th century monument to the Spanish Constitution of 1812 and the historic marketplace structure where the citizens of St. Augustine went to purchase their food and much needed items. Today, the market is no longer in operation, but the square is surrounded by numerous restaurants and shops. I was even offered a free banana as I walked into the park…by a PETA group hoping to bring awareness to pet cruelty!
After I walked through the park, languishing in the shade of the mossy oaks, I made my way to the front of the park and the spot that Juan Ponce de Leon landed near in 1513, marked by a statue on Ponce de Leon Circle at the entrance to the Bridge of Lions. Not only did I have a great view of the statue and of the old marketplace building, but of the mighty oak trees that stand at attention in the park.
There are many historic structures that surround the plaza, including the historic Government House, built from 1706-1713, which served as the home of the Florida’s Spanish governors and as the capitol of the Florida Territory in 1823.
The exchange of flags took place in the plaza when Florida was transferred from Spain to the United States. Meetings were held in this location on the eve of the Civil War and Union Navy Officers crossed the park in 1862 when they reclaimed the city from the Confederates.
Also sitting on the plaza are two churches, Trinity Parish Episcopal Church, (established 1763-1783) and the Cathedral Basilica of St. Augustine (constructed 1793-1797), which was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1970 and is the oldest Catholic Church in the city and the seat of the Bishop of the Diocese of St. Augustine. The basilica’s awe-inspiring mission architecture is hard to miss, towering over the plaza.
Although it would have been easy to grab a seat on one of the plaza’s benches and watch the world go by, there was just too much to see and do.
How could I see it all?
I exited the park, picked a street and started walking!
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Plaza de la Constitution
- Address: 170 St. George Street, St. Augustine, Florida 32084
- Hours: 24 hours, daily
- Admission: free