Casa Monica Hotel, Historic hotel in St. Augustine, Florida, US
Casa Monica Hotel is a hotel in downtown St. Augustine built in Mediterranean Revival and Moorish Revival styles. The building features arched windows, detailed tilework, and wrought iron balconies that give it the look of a palace, while the interior keeps its original historic details.
The building was put up in 1888 by Franklin W. Smith, and it was one of the first poured concrete structures in the city. Henry Flagler bought it just four months after it opened, renamed it the Cordova Hotel, and used his railroad network to bring travelers to St. Augustine from across the country.
The name Casa Monica comes from a Spanish saint who inspired Franklin W. Smith when he named the building. Guests walking through the lobby can see ornamental tilework, curved arches, and wrought iron details that call to mind the architecture of southern Spain and North Africa.
The hotel sits in the heart of St. Augustine's old town, so most of the main historic sites are within easy walking distance. Going out early in the morning or later in the afternoon makes it easier to move through the surrounding streets without large crowds.
Before it reopened as a hotel in 1999, the building spent several decades serving as the St. Johns County courthouse. The rooms that once held offices and courtrooms are now guest rooms, and the outer structure was kept largely as it was during that period.
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