Zorayda Castle in Saint Augustine is a scaled down version of a wing of the 12th century Alhambra a Moorish Castle in Grenada Spain. Actually this castle is is at least 10 times smaller then one of the wings in Alhambra. A Boston millionaire named Franklin Smith built this place as his private home in 1883 used as a winter home. He visited Alhambra on a trip to Spain and become obsessed by its magnificence. The inside contains tropical hardwood furniture, luxurious interior architecture, and an area called Sultans Den with a 2,300 year old rug made of woven cat fur. 

Each window on the castle is a different shape and size and the building for many years was used as a speakeasy and movie set. The reason the castle windows were designed this way was based on an old superstition that if the spirits left they would have a hard time finding their way back. 

If  you want a more in depth history the Moors ruled Spain for about 6 centuries before being expelled in 1492. Smith was an amateur architect and signed the entire house himself. He poured concrete reinforced with crushed coquina stone. Many of the materials used in finishing this castle were imported from Spain.

In 1913 the building was bought by Abraham S. Mussallem and in 1922 it became a nightclub and gambling casino which closed by 1925 when FL outlawed all gambling. In 1936 it was opened as a tourist attraction and was called Zorayda castle which exhibited items that fit its architectural theme. In 1993 it was listed in the National Register Of Historic Places.

I hear rumors that the castle is haunted maybe by former resident himself I mean despite its castle like look it all boils down to the fact that this is an old house and people lived in it at one time. If you want to see even a greater castle check out  Click Here: McFadden's Castle 

© By

Lord Rick-AngelOfThyNight

 

 

 
     
 

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Alhambra Castle In Granada Spain

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