Villa Zorayda put coquina concrete into St. Augustine's style
Villa Zorayda is a house you can read through its walls. Franklin W. Smith built it in 1883 as his St. Augustine winter home. He used Moorish Revival ideas inspired by the Alhambra in Spain. Instead of ordinary masonry, he used poured concrete made with Portland cement, sand, and locally crushed coquina shell.
That mix gave St. Augustine a new building language as the city grew into a Gilded Age resort town. The method showed how old-looking walls, arches, courtyards, and towers could be made with newer materials. It also tied Villa Zorayda to the larger Flagler-era building story, when concrete and Spanish-influenced design changed the city’s look.
If you visit, check the tour hours and parking notes first. King Street is central, and busy St. Augustine days can make a simple house tour feel like a downtown plan. Give yourself time to look at the walls, not just the rooms.
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Last checked against these sources: July 4, 2026.
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