Ribault Monument

Ribault Monument is a French exploration marker in Jacksonville, Florida. The monument is meant to be a reminder of the years France and Spain fought for control of Florida. The column found on the site is a reproduction of the actual monument, which was placed at the mouth of St. Johns River. It was created due to Ribault hence the name of the monument.

Ribault was sent to Florida in 1562 from France on a mission by Admiral Gaspard de Coligny. Ribault was supposed to lay claim to any part of North America that he could, given the fact that the Spanish were already claiming all of North America as theirs.

The monument is on one of the highest points in the city. The original was placed there in 1562 to lay claim to the land Ribault landed on. A sketch in 1564 of it has helped the restored monument compare to the original. The monument is free to see and located near Fort Caroline. The Fort was built a few years after the actual monument. Today the monument is circled by benches, a stone pathway, and overlooks the river to make a nice spot for tourists and residents to relax.