South Carolina State Arsenal
The South Carolina State Arsenal is a brick building in Charleston built in the early 1830s to store weapons and ammunition for the state. It originally had two main floors organized around a central courtyard and was later expanded with additional stories that added tiered arches to the interior space.
The building was constructed after concerns about the Denmark Vesey plot of 1822 to secure weapons storage for the state. In 1842, it became home to the South Carolina Military Academy, and during the Civil War, cadets trained there before the structure fell under federal control after 1865.
The building is known locally as 'The Old Citadel' because of its fortress-like appearance with thick walls and solid arches. These distinctive architectural features reflect the military purpose it served and remain central to how people experience and remember the site today.
The building sits on Marion Square in Charleston's historic area and is visible from the street. Most interior spaces are not open to the public, so plan to view the exterior architecture and imagine its history from outside rather than entering the structure.
The building now serves as a hotel after being renovated in 1994, giving its long military history a completely new purpose. This transformation shows how historic structures can adapt to modern needs while keeping their architectural character intact.
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