The former Ponce de León Hotel, completed in 1888 for railroad magnate Henry Flagler, is one of the finest examples of Spanish Renaissance Revival architecture in the United States. The vast red-brick building with its four towers now functions as Flagler College, a private liberal arts school, but guided tours are offered to the public and are well worth taking. The lobby alone — with its intricate Tiffany stained glass windows, hand-painted murals and original gilded furnishings — is extraordinary. Flagler commissioned the Tiffany firm directly, and the windows in the dining hall are among the finest examples of their work.
The building was designed by architects Carrère and Hastings, who would later design the New York Public Library. In its heyday the hotel welcomed the Vanderbilts, the Rockefellers, and Mark Twain. The red towers and ornate facade are visible from almost anywhere in the old city, and the building sets the architectural tone for the whole district. Tours run most days; book ahead in season.