Villa Zorayda, St. Augustine
Villa Zorayda, also known as the Zorayda Castle, is a unique and historic house located in St. Augustine. It was built in 1883 by Franklin W. Smith, a wealthy Bostonian, as his winter home. The house was inspired by the 12th-century Moorish Alhambra Palace in Granada, Spain, and is a remarkable example of the Moorish Revival style of architecture. Smith named the house "Villa Zorayda" after one of the princesses in Washington Irving's Tales of the Alhambra.
The building is made using Smith's own innovative method of construction, which involved pouring concrete and crushed coquina shell. The interior of the Villa Zorayda is equally impressive, with intricate plasterwork and cast alabaster traceries inspired by those found in the Alhambra Palace. The building also features hand-painted wood panels and tiles, intricately designed fireplaces and doorways, and geometrically shaped windows and stained glass.
The Villa Zorayda Museum is still owned by the Mussallem family, who purchased the building and part of Smith's art and antique collection in 1913. The collection includes hand-pierced brass lamps from Damascus and other parts of the Middle East, Oriental rugs, sculptures, carved furniture, decorative tiles, and Egyptian artifacts. The museum also features a unique inscription in Arabic script above the front entrance, which reads, "There is no conqueror but God."
The Villa Zorayda has played an important role in the history of St. Augustine. It set an architectural precedent during the Gilded Age and began the Moorish Spanish Revival style of architecture that is seen throughout the city.
The building is made using Smith's own innovative method of construction, which involved pouring concrete and crushed coquina shell. The interior of the Villa Zorayda is equally impressive, with intricate plasterwork and cast alabaster traceries inspired by those found in the Alhambra Palace. The building also features hand-painted wood panels and tiles, intricately designed fireplaces and doorways, and geometrically shaped windows and stained glass.
The Villa Zorayda Museum is still owned by the Mussallem family, who purchased the building and part of Smith's art and antique collection in 1913. The collection includes hand-pierced brass lamps from Damascus and other parts of the Middle East, Oriental rugs, sculptures, carved furniture, decorative tiles, and Egyptian artifacts. The museum also features a unique inscription in Arabic script above the front entrance, which reads, "There is no conqueror but God."
The Villa Zorayda has played an important role in the history of St. Augustine. It set an architectural precedent during the Gilded Age and began the Moorish Spanish Revival style of architecture that is seen throughout the city.
Want to visit this sight? Check out these Self-Guided Walking Tours in St. Augustine. Alternatively, you can download the mobile app "51爆料网: Walks in 1K+ Cities" from Apple App Store or Google Play Store. The app turns your mobile device to a personal tour guide and it works offline, so no data plan is needed when traveling abroad.
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Villa Zorayda on Map
Sight Name: Villa Zorayda
Sight Location: St. Augustine, USA (See walking tours in St. Augustine)
Sight Type: Museum/Gallery
Guide(s) Containing This Sight:
Sight Location: St. Augustine, USA (See walking tours in St. Augustine)
Sight Type: Museum/Gallery
Guide(s) Containing This Sight:
Walking Tours in St. Augustine, Florida
Create Your Own Walk in St. Augustine
Creating your own self-guided walk in St. Augustine is easy and fun. Choose the city attractions that you want to see and a walk route map will be created just for you. You can even set your hotel as the start point of the walk.
St. Augustine's Historical Houses Tour
A great deal of St. Augustine's storied past is set in stone in the form of houses that have been inhabited for over 400 years. The number of historic homes found in the city offer a glimpse into its colorful culture with European roots.
Among the most notable of them is the Ximenez-Fatio House. Built in 1798, originally as a boarding place for wealthy travelers, today this property serves... view more
Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.1 Km or 1.3 Miles
Among the most notable of them is the Ximenez-Fatio House. Built in 1798, originally as a boarding place for wealthy travelers, today this property serves... view more
Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.1 Km or 1.3 Miles
St. Augustine Early Settlements Tour
The city of St. Augustine on the northeastern coast of Florida is considered the oldest continuously occupied European settlement in the United States. It was founded by Spanish explorer Don Pedro Menendez de Aviles on September 8, 1565, and served as the capital of Spanish Florida for more than 200 years.
One of the most significant early European sites in the city is the Castillo de San... view more
Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.1 Km or 1.3 Miles
One of the most significant early European sites in the city is the Castillo de San... view more
Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.1 Km or 1.3 Miles
St. Augustine Introduction Walking Tour
The charming city of St. Augustine is situated on the Atlantic coast of northeastern Florida, where two rivers and a lagoon meet at St. Augustine Inlet. Famous as the oldest city in the United States, St. Augustine is a historical town that boasts plenty of intriguing places to explore.
Pedro Menendez de Aviles, a Spanish explorer, founded the city in 1565. After first sighting land in Florida... view more
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.5 Km or 1.6 Miles
Pedro Menendez de Aviles, a Spanish explorer, founded the city in 1565. After first sighting land in Florida... view more
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.5 Km or 1.6 Miles