The tower
Castillo Tower is a small round tower in central Charleston. The tower was built in a 13th century medieval style. It was built to honor the town's founder, Miguel Castillo y Espada, who's last name meant "castle" in Spanish. The small tower was surrounded by vegetation, which slowly crept up its walls to cover most of it. A depiction of the tower appears on the town seal and town flag since around 1920. It is also the symbol on the seal of Charleston Academy.
History[]
The Castillo Tower was built from 1911-1917 to commemmorate the town's supposed founding by Castillo y Espada in the 18th century. Several wealthy citizens donated money to construct the tower, as well as many smaller donations by average citizens. The tower was completed in 1917 and has since become a popular place for citizens and tourists alike to get a spectacular view of Charleston and the surrounding area. Around the tower, the locals worked to create a beautiful community park, with many trees, flowers and vines to give it a medieval-inspired look. WIth the tower's centennial coming up, many citizens have expressed interest in making this tower a national monument.
Visiting the park and tower[]
The park is always open, but the tower may be visited and entered from 10:00-5:00 every Monday to Saturday. It is free to enter, but there is a donations box inside to help upkeep the tower and other monuments around the city.