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While visitor’s may be aware of the connection of two of King Streets most famous landmarks, Flagler College and The Lightner Museum, many may not know that these came to fruition because of the Villa Zorayda.
Villa Zorayda, an architectural masterpiece, was built by Franklin Smith in 1883, in the Moorish style of the Alhambra Palace in Granada, Spain. When Henry Flagler, millionaire American industrialist, founder of Standard Oil and the Florida East Coast Railway, arrived in St. Augustine in 1883 with his new wife, they found the hotel facilities and transportation systems to be inadequate. Flagler, intrigued by the stunning Villa Zorayda, offered to buy it for his honeymoon but was turned down by the owner, Franklin W. Smith. Flagler then went on to build his own architectural masterpieces on King Street.
Villa Zorayda, also known as Zorayda Castle, was Smith’s winter home and housed his extensive art and antique collection. Over the years, it was utilized as a restaurant, a nightclub, a gambling casino and a hotel. After renovations in 2003, it was reopened to the public in 2008 as a museum.
My first encounter with the architectural marvel was while riding the Old Town Trolley. As we drove through the parking lot to drop off some riders, I was intrigued with the beautiful style, but it wasn’t until the next day when I had a bit of time on my hands to hot foot it over for a quick look-see.
Of course, as I entered, I was met with my least favorite phrase, “Photography Not Permitted”. Argh! Still, I paid my admission, put on my audio guide headphones and started my tour in the small study.
Whoa! This place was amazing! Had I stepped into a middle eastern palace? It sure looked like it!
The trim, the gold detailing, the gorgeous hand-painted tiles! And this was just in the first room, the Prayer Room. Each of the rooms were similarly styled and filled with Franklin Smith’s art and antique collection, now owned by Abraham Mussallem, an authority on oriental rugs and Egyptian artifacts who also purchased the villa in 1913.
The highlight of the villa is the central two-story center court which can be gazed upon from both levels. Rooms surrounding this courtyard are similarly decorated and are bedecked with alabaster and plaster reliefs, replicas of the walls of the Alhambra Palace. “There is no conqueror but God” is reproduced in the tracery of the Alhambra and is inscribed in Arabic script above the front entrance. Filling the space are hand painted wood panels, intricately designed doorways and geometrically shaped windows and colorful stained glass. There are Middle Eastern brass lamps, Oriental rugs, sculptures, carved furniture and Egyptian artifacts throughout. The most curious piece of the collection, however, is the Sacred Cat Rug made from the hairs of ancient cats that roamed the Nile River and is over 2400 years old.
The highlight of the villa is the central two-story center court which can be gazed upon from both levels. Rooms surrounding this courtyard are similarly decorated and are bedecked with alabaster and plaster reliefs, replicas of the walls of the Alhambra Palace. “There is no conqueror but God” is reproduced in the tracery of the Alhambra and is inscribed in Arabic script above the front entrance. Filling the space are hand painted wood panels, intricately designed doorways and geometrically shaped windows and colorful stained glass. There are Middle Eastern brass lamps, Oriental rugs, sculptures, carved furniture and Egyptian artifacts throughout. The most curious piece of the collection, however, is the Sacred Cat Rug made from the hairs of ancient cats that roamed the Nile River and is over 2400 years old.
It was awe-inspiring to wander from room to room studying each piece of the collection, including items from its gaming and club days. My favorite room, however, was on the second floor…the Harem Room. More of a small porch, it had a small star-shaped window to peek into the room and decorated with blue and white tiles and ornamentation. An exquisite wooden swing hung in the entry area to this room and I was tempted to take a quick ride…
I did not, of course, but you know what I did do?
I snuck a few pictures…okay more than a few…since the woman manning the front desk wasn’t too worried about interacting with the customers…even when paying…much less watching to see if we were disobeying instructions!
In all, my visit lasted about forty-five minutes, but was worth the exploration of this unique property and its furnishings. If you are visiting St. Augustine and making your way down King Street to witness the unique stunning structures that are Flagler College and the Lightner Museum, take a bit of time to stop in and check out the Castle of King Street, Villa Zorayda.
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Villa Zorayda
- https://villazorayda.com/
- Address: 83 King Street, St. Augustine, Florida 32084
- Hours: Monday to Saturday, 1000-1700, Sunday 1100-1600. Closed Easter, Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.
- Admission: Adults (ages 13-59), $12.00, Children (ages 7-12), $5.00, Seniors (ages 60 and over), $11.00.
- Parking: Free parking for one vehicle while visiting the museum.