Ponce de Leon Hotel and Flagler College Building, St. Augustine (must see)
The Ponce de Leon Hotel opened in 1888 as Henry Flagler鈥檚 grand statement that St. Augustine could rival Europe鈥檚 finest resorts. Flagler, co-founder of Standard Oil and architect of much of modern Florida, wanted a winter palace for the wealthy northerners arriving on his railroads. What he built was more than a hotel鈥攊t was a prototype for the Gilded Age resort, designed by Carr猫re and Hastings in Spanish Renaissance Revival style, and among the first American buildings to be made entirely of poured concrete mixed with local coquina shells.
鈥淭he Ponce,鈥� as it quickly became known, dazzled with amenities few had ever seen. Edison himself wired it for electricity鈥攐ver 4,000 lights illuminating a structure that also offered steam heat and running water. Inside, the experience was curated like theater: marble floors underfoot, grand murals by George W. Maynard and Virgilio Tojetti overhead, and dining halls glowing with stained glass and mosaics by Louis Comfort Tiffany. Politicians, writers, and sportsmen passed through its doors, stamping St. Augustine as a true resort city.
But fortunes shift. During World War II, the building served the Coast Guard Reserve. Declining tourism closed the hotel in 1967, and the next year, the structure took on a second life as the heart of Flagler College, a small liberal arts school that still thrives within its walls.
The Ponce de Leon鈥攔ecognized as a National Historic Landmark since 2006鈥攁nchors the campus and remains open to visitors. Guided tours show off Tiffany鈥檚 glass, Tojetti鈥檚 murals, and the palmed courtyard where the Gilded Age still lingers. Flagler鈥檚 hotel lives on, not as a relic, but as a place where students study under domes and towers once meant to impress the world鈥檚 elite.
鈥淭he Ponce,鈥� as it quickly became known, dazzled with amenities few had ever seen. Edison himself wired it for electricity鈥攐ver 4,000 lights illuminating a structure that also offered steam heat and running water. Inside, the experience was curated like theater: marble floors underfoot, grand murals by George W. Maynard and Virgilio Tojetti overhead, and dining halls glowing with stained glass and mosaics by Louis Comfort Tiffany. Politicians, writers, and sportsmen passed through its doors, stamping St. Augustine as a true resort city.
But fortunes shift. During World War II, the building served the Coast Guard Reserve. Declining tourism closed the hotel in 1967, and the next year, the structure took on a second life as the heart of Flagler College, a small liberal arts school that still thrives within its walls.
The Ponce de Leon鈥攔ecognized as a National Historic Landmark since 2006鈥攁nchors the campus and remains open to visitors. Guided tours show off Tiffany鈥檚 glass, Tojetti鈥檚 murals, and the palmed courtyard where the Gilded Age still lingers. Flagler鈥檚 hotel lives on, not as a relic, but as a place where students study under domes and towers once meant to impress the world鈥檚 elite.
Want to visit this sight? Check out these Self-Guided Walking Tours in St. Augustine. Alternatively, you can download the mobile app "911爆料网: Walks in 1K+ Cities" from Apple App Store or Google Play Store. The app turns your mobile device to a personal tour guide and it works offline, so no data plan is needed when traveling abroad.
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Ponce de Leon Hotel and Flagler College Building on Map
Sight Name: Ponce de Leon Hotel and Flagler College Building
Sight Location: St. Augustine, USA (See walking tours in St. Augustine)
Sight Type: Attraction/Landmark
Guide(s) Containing This Sight:
Sight Location: St. Augustine, USA (See walking tours in St. Augustine)
Sight Type: Attraction/Landmark
Guide(s) Containing This Sight:
Walking Tours in St. Augustine, Florida
Create Your Own Walk in St. Augustine
Creating your own self-guided walk in St. Augustine is easy and fun. Choose the city attractions that you want to see and a walk route map will be created just for you. You can even set your hotel as the start point of the walk.
St. Augustine Early Settlements Tour
The city of St. Augustine on the northeastern coast of Florida is considered the oldest continuously occupied European settlement in the United States. It was founded by Spanish explorer Don Pedro Menendez de Aviles on September 8, 1565, and served as the capital of Spanish Florida for more than 200 years.
One of the most significant early European sites in the city is the Castillo de San... view more
Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.1 Km or 1.3 Miles
One of the most significant early European sites in the city is the Castillo de San... view more
Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.1 Km or 1.3 Miles
St. Augustine's Historical Houses Tour
A great deal of St. Augustine's storied past is set in stone in the form of houses that have been inhabited for over 400 years. The number of historic homes found in the city offer a glimpse into its colorful culture with European roots.
Among the most notable of them is the Ximenez-Fatio House. Built in 1798, originally as a boarding place for wealthy travelers, today this property serves... view more
Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.1 Km or 1.3 Miles
Among the most notable of them is the Ximenez-Fatio House. Built in 1798, originally as a boarding place for wealthy travelers, today this property serves... view more
Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.1 Km or 1.3 Miles
St. Augustine Introduction Walking Tour
It is said that the first-ever Thanksgiving meal took place in 1565, when Spanish explorers led by Pedro Men茅ndez held a Catholic Mass and a communal meal with the Timucua people in what is now St. Augustine, Florida.
Poised on Florida鈥檚 northeastern coast, the city holds the distinction of being the oldest continuously inhabited European-founded settlement in the United States. Its story... view more
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.5 Km or 1.6 Miles
Poised on Florida鈥檚 northeastern coast, the city holds the distinction of being the oldest continuously inhabited European-founded settlement in the United States. Its story... view more
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.5 Km or 1.6 Miles