The Villa Zorayda is a Gilded Age mansion in St. Augustine, FL, and is now a museum showcasing the collection of furniture, painting, sculptures, antiques, artifacts, and the beautiful architecture. Franklin W. Smith built his winter home in 1883 in the Moorish Revival style, and the architecture was inspired by the Alhambra Palace in Grenada, Spain. Moorish Revival style architecture was used during the popularity of Orientalism, which is an imitation of near-eastern art and concepts by western artists. Some defining characteristics of this style featured in this building are, ornate trims, decorative tiles, horseshoe arches, intricate details on the interior walls, and many examples of Orientalist art and design in Smith’s collection. One of the key features of the building is the unique and innovative way the it was constructed. Smith used poured concrete and crushed coquina shell. The plaster and alabaster detail on the walls are called arabesques, and are a recreation of the walls at the Alhambra Palace. The lamps are hand pierced brass and from parts of the Middle East. The collection also features Oriental rugs, sculptures, carved furniture, and Egyptian artifacts.
