Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters

Take your next trip with Atlas Obscura!

Our small-group adventures are inspired by our Atlas of the world's most fascinating places, the stories behind them, and the people who bring them to life.

Visit Adventures
Trips Highlight
Puglia Italy - Matera
Italy • 8 days, 7 nights
Southern Italy: Castles, Caves & Coastal Treasures in Puglia
from
Turkmenistan Gates of Hell Darvaza crater
Turkmenistan • 10 days, 9 nights
Turkmenistan & the Gates of Hell
from
View all trips
Top Destinations
Latest Places
Most Popular Places Random Place Lists Itineraries
Add a Place
Download the App
Top Destinations
View All Destinations »

Countries

  • Australia
  • Canada
  • China
  • France
  • Germany
  • India
  • Italy
  • Japan

Cities

  • Amsterdam
  • Barcelona
  • Beijing
  • Berlin
  • Boston
  • Budapest
  • Chicago
  • London
  • Los Angeles
  • Mexico City
  • Montreal
  • Moscow
  • New Orleans
  • New York City
  • Paris
  • Philadelphia
  • Rome
  • San Francisco
  • Seattle
  • Stockholm
  • Tokyo
  • Toronto
  • Vienna
  • Washington, D.C.
Latest Places
View All Places »
Pinal Airpark
Note the chrysanthemum crests.
Hachiman Bridge
Clarendon War Memorial.
Clarendon War Memorial
This fried chicken is one of Bangkok’s most famous.
Gai Tord Jae Kee
Latest Places to Eat & Drink
View All Places to Eat »
Everything at Li’l Dizzy’s Cafe is served in takeout containers.
Li’l Dizzy’s Cafe
The fried green tomato sandwich comes on jalapeño cornbread toast.
Café Reconcile
BBQ shrimp braised in beer are a popular menu item.
High Hat Cafe
The pastries at Lagniappe Bakehouse are worth waking up for.
Lagniappe Bakehouse
Peter Vazquez has been quietly making a name for himself for years.
The Appetite Repair Shop
Recent Stories
All Stories Video Podcast
Most Recent Stories
View All Stories »
Haleakalā National Park’s summit region, shrouded in the pre-dawn fog.
Beware the Legends Behind These National Park Souvenirs
15 days ago
For Aguilar-Carrasco, nature is a powerful reminder of the interconnectedness of all life.
How Can National Parks Be Made Accessible to All? AO Wants to Know.
16 days ago
Podcast: Finding ‘The Great Gatsby’ in Louisville
17 days ago
Here’s which treats you can safely lug home without risking a fine.
Dear Atlas: What International Food Can I Legally Bring Into the U.S.?
18 days ago

No search results found for
“”

Make sure words are spelled correctly.

Try searching for a travel destination.

Places near me Random place

Popular Destinations

  • Paris
  • London
  • New York
  • Berlin
  • Rome
  • Los Angeles
Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters
Sign In Join
Places near me Random place
All the United States the U.S. Virgin Islands St. Thomas Blackbeard's Castle

Blackbeard's Castle

Rumored to be the famed pirate's lookout tower, this historic stone structure is now just watching for tourists.

St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands

Added By
Eric Grundhauser
Email
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list
Blackbeard’s Castle   Benjamin Reed on Flickr
Blackbeard’s Castle   Benjamin Reed on Flickr
The site is surrounded by pirate statues.   Benjamin Reed on Flickr
Another of the pirate statues at the site.   Benjamin Reed on Flickr
  Traveler Tim / Atlas Obscura User
Photo taken circa 1978 on a family vacation   ccesare / Atlas Obscura User
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list

About

Located in the beautiful Virgin Islands, Blackbeard's Castle is a popular attraction based on its history of pirates and smugglers, a history that may be nothing more than scuttlebutt. 

One of five National Historic Landmarks located among the Virgin Islands, the "castle," which is actually a fairly simple tower, was originally built in 1679 as a military watchtower by Danish colonists. The building was originally known as Skytsborg Tower, meaning "sky tower," and actually existed for years before the tower's current namesake even reached the region. Blackbeard was known to operate in and around the Virgin Islands in the early 1700s and it is not impossible that he used the aging tower as a base of operations, but no evidence has been presented to back this up. Despite the lack of evidence and the unlikely dates, stories of Blackbeard using, and even building, the tower for his nefarious dealings have continued to proliferate and at some point the pirate's legacy took over the entire identity of the tower.

Today the historic stone lookout is the centerpiece of a thriving tourist industry centered on Blackbeard's exploits. With a figure as legendary as Blackbeard bland facts matter much less than romantic tales. 

Related Tags

Towers Castles Pirates

Community Contributors

Added By

EricGrundhauser

Edited By

Rachel, dcowan, hrnick, noturtypicalgeek...

  • Rachel
  • dcowan
  • hrnick
  • noturtypicalgeek
  • Traveler Tim
  • ccesare

Published

December 15, 2013

Edit this listing

Make an Edit
Add Photos
Sources
  • http://www.lonelyplanet.com/the-bahamas/new-providence/nassau/sights/architecture/blackbeard-s-tower
  • http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blackbeard's_Castle
Blackbeard's Castle
Blackbeard's Castle
Charlotte Amalie
St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands
United States
18.343794, -64.929692
Visit Website
Get Directions

Nearby Places

Coral World Undersea Observatory Tower

St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands

miles away

Pizza Pi

St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands

miles away

Lime Out

St. John, U.S. Virgin Islands

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of St. Thomas

St. Thomas

U.S. Virgin Islands

Places 2

Nearby Places

Coral World Undersea Observatory Tower

St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands

miles away

Pizza Pi

St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands

miles away

Lime Out

St. John, U.S. Virgin Islands

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of St. Thomas

St. Thomas

U.S. Virgin Islands

Places 2

Related Stories and Lists

History Tour: The Golden Age of Piracy

List

By Jonathan Carey

Related Places

  • Signs at the top inform of what visitors are seeing

    Smołdzino, Poland

    Rowokół

    For centuries, this hill along the Polish coast has been used as a lookout—and the rumored home of pirate treasure.

  • St Mawes Castle

    St Mawes, England

    St. Mawes Castle

    A 16th-century artillery fort built to protect England against European invasion.

  • The hunger tower

    Castel D'ario, Italy

    Castello di Castel d'Ario

    In a tower at this centuries-old castle, members of a noble family were imprisoned and left to starve.

  • Montagnana, Italy

    Castle of San Zeno

    A medieval castle was used for centuries as a hemp farm.

  • Torre Grimani.

    Rovigo, Italy

    Towers of Rovigo

    All that is left of this medieval castle is two towers, both of which now display a visible tilt.

  • Ypres Tower

    Rye, England

    Ypres Tower

    Also known as Rye Castle, this 13th-century fortification later became a prison and held one of Rye's most famous criminals.

  • Fortress of Bač

    Bač, Serbia

    Bač Fortress

    A well preserved medieval fortress in Vojvodina.

  • Almenara Torre Nueva with Gibraltar in the background

    La Línea de la Concepción, Spain

    Torre Nueva

    The defensive tower was built centuries ago to warn locals of Berber pirate attacks.

Aerial image of Vietnam, displaying the picturesque rice terraces, characterized by their layered, verdant fields.
Atlas Obscura Membership

Become an Atlas Obscura Member


Join our community of curious explorers.

Become a Member

Get Our Email Newsletter

Follow Us

Facebook YouTube TikTok Instagram Pinterest RSS Feed

Get the app

Download the App
Download on the Apple App Store Get it on Google Play
  • All Places
  • Latest Places
  • Most Popular
  • Places to Eat
  • Random
  • Nearby
  • Add a Place
  • Stories
  • Food & Drink
  • Itineraries
  • Lists
  • Video
  • Podcast
  • Newsletters
  • All Trips
  • Family Trip
  • Food & Drink
  • History & Culture
  • Wildlife & Nature
  • FAQ
  • Membership
  • Feedback & Ideas
  • Community Guidelines
  • Product Blog
  • Unique Gifts
  • Work With Us
  • About
  • FAQ
  • Advertise With Us
  • Advertising Guidelines
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy
  • Terms of Use
Atlas Obscura

© 2025 Atlas Obscura. All Rights Reserved.