St. Augustine Lighthouse

An Iconic Coastal Landmark

The St. Augustine Lighthouse is one of Florida's most recognizable navigational beacons, its 165-foot brick tower wrapped in a bold spiral of black and white that makes it unmistakable from land and sea. Completed in the 1870s, it still guides mariners along the Atlantic coast from its perch on Anastasia Island.

Architecture and the Helical Daymark

The tapering conical structure is topped by a red iron lantern room that houses a first-order Fresnel lens. Its signature helical stripes serve as a daymark, distinguishing it from neighboring lighthouses for sailors approaching the harbor entrance.

The View Over Anastasia Island

This vantage captures the lighthouse against a sweeping coastal sky, with the maritime museum grounds and surrounding maritime forest framing the base of the tower. Passing boats on the Matanzas inlet and aircraft tracing the horizon add a living rhythm to the scene.

A Historic Maritime Setting

Set in St. Augustine — the oldest continuously occupied European-founded city in the United States — the lighthouse anchors a rich seafaring heritage. The site doubles as a maritime museum, preserving the stories of shipwrecks, keepers, and the Atlantic trade that shaped this storied port.