When you live in the nation’s oldest city, you get used to the fact that many of the buildings in the area can be centuries old. America, as everyone knows, became a nation in 1776, but St. Augustine has been continuously inhabited since the 1500s, and the Llambias House is one that was constructed during the first Spanish Colonial period that lasted from 1565-1763. While the exact date of construction is unknown, we are able to link it to this period due to its appearance on a 1764 map listing Pedro Fernandez as its owner. Very few of the homes built in this era still exist today, which makes the Llambias House in St Augustine a very special one.
The Architecture
Homes in this time period were built in what would later become known as St. Augustine architecture, a design created to help withstand the humid and volatile climate of this ocean front city. Most likely, the Llambias House was originally a two room coquina house and had a whitewashed exterior with a plaster interior and floors made of a local material called tabby, which consisted of oyster shell, sand, and lime concrete. Wooden shutters would have covered the window openings in inclement weather because there would have been no glass.
Throughout the following centuries, many changes would have been made to this historic building, which had its final restoration in the 1950s. In April of 1970, the Llambias House was designated a United States Historic Landmark, ensuring that it would be cared for and treasured for centuries to come.
Today
Today, you can walk by the exterior of this nationally important house, which is located at 31 St. Francis Street, but if you want to see the interior, you either have to make an appointment or throw an event to be held inside its wooden doors, as it is often used as a wedding venue. We like to imagine that any wedding performed here will last as long as the Llambias House has lasted, and you can’t get more romantic than that! The lushly landscaped yard of this historic building offers many spots that would be perfect for a romantic picture of you and your new spouse!
The Ocean Gallery
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