Llambias House, St. Augustine

The Llambias House is a remarkable example of the historic architecture of St. Augustine. Located in a residential area south of downtown, the house is one of the few buildings in the city that dates back to the first Spanish colonial period, from 1565 to 1763. The house has been designated a National Historic Landmark due to its historic significance.

The Llambias House was restored in the 1950s and is an excellent representation of St. Augustine's architectural style, which was first developed by the Spanish and later modified by the British during the colonial period. The house is a two-story structure built mainly out of plastered coquina limestone and covered by a dormered hip roof. The street-facing facade has two windows on the ground floor and an overhanging wood-frame balcony on the second floor. The entrance is at the center, flanked by windows on either side. The property also includes a kitchen located in an outbuilding, which is also built of coquina.

The original construction date of the Llambias House is unknown, but it was already standing when Florida was turned over to Great Britain by the Spanish in 1763. At that time, the house was a single-story structure built according to the so-called "St. Augustine plan," a house design that the Spanish developed to deal with Florida's heat and humidity. This plan typically included an open loggia chamber at one end, but the Llambias House has a wood-frame veranda instead.

In 1777-78, the house was enlarged by Juan Andreu, who added the second floor and installed windows into previously unglazed window openings. The Llambias family acquired the house in 1854, and it remained in their family until 1919. The house was given to the city in 1954, and a major restoration was undertaken at that time.

Today, visitors can walk by the Llambias House, but it's only open by appointment and for private functions. For more information, guests can call the St. Augustine Historical Society at (904) 824-2872.