The Villa Zorayda was built in 1883 by Franklin Webster Smith as his winter home. Smith tested and utilized his own innovative method of construction know as, poured concrete and crushed coquina shell. He designed his winter home in the Moorish Revival style of architectural by replicating details of the Alhambra Palace in Granada, Spain. The Villa Zorayda went on to set an architectural precedence in St. Augustine during the Gilded Age and began the Moorish Spanish Revival style of architecture that is seen throughout the city of St Augustine. Additionally, his innovative method of construction was prolifically used throughout the city during the turn of the 19th, quite literally shaping much of the beautiful architecture that many visitors come to St Augustine to see today.
In the 1920s, the Zorayda Club became a gambling casino and speakeasy, and by the late 1920s, Abraham and his wife, Olga, decided to close the club and live in the building as their residence with their family. After a few years, the Mussallems realized how important the building was to St. Augustine’s history, and in 1933, they opened it as a museum, the Villa Zorayda Museum.
The Mussallem family have now been the guardians of the Villa Zorayda for over 109 years. First, with Abraham & Olga Mussallem, who operated it as a museum until their deaths, and later in the 1960s by their sons, Eddy and Wally Mussallem, who restored the museum and renamed it Zorayda Castle. Zorayda Castle closed in the year 2000 and underwent an extensive 8 year restoration financed by Eddy Mussallem, former Mayor of St. Augustine. Overseeing the restoration was Eddy’s daughter, Marcia Mussallem Byles, and her husband, James Byles. In 2008, the Villa Zorayda reopened once again as a museum going back to the original name given to it by Franklin Smith. Over 105 years and three generations, the Mussallem/Byles family have been the guardians of the Villa Zorayda.
Today, the 45-60 minute tour gives an in depth look at the historical significance of the building to the City of St. Augustine, the magnificent architecture, as well as descriptions of the many exquisite pieces you will see. The Museum features the priceless antique collections of both Franklin Smith and A.S. Mussallem. One of our most discussed pieces on display is the “Sacred Cat Rug” which is over 2400 years old and made from the hairs of ancient cats that roamed the Nile River.
It was Franklin Smith’s intention to bring part of Spain to Spanish St. Augustine and to educate his visitors about different cultures from around the world. We are happy to share the history of the Villa Zorayda with you and to keep Franklin Smith’s masterpiece open for the public to enjoy.