This beautiful and unique building was built to be a smaller version of the 12th century Moorish Alhambra Palace located in Granada, Spain. This interesting building was constructed by a Boston millionaire, Franklin W. Smith in 1883, famed for interesting Henry Flagler in Florida, as his private winter home.

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The Villa was one of the first poured concrete buildings in Florida, a design Henry Flagler would later use for the Ponce de Leon Hotel, and also reintroduced Spanish architecture to the former Spanish colony. This building has lavish features including gorgeous plaster work to match the original Alhambra and a "Sultan's Den". It also features a 2400 year old cat hair rug made from the fur of Egyptian cats. The Villa has been used as everything from a home, to a club, and a movie set.

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The Villa Zorayda still stands today as a museum, it is located on King Street directly across the street from Flagler College.

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Text by Brittany Martin