St. Augustine, Fla. – From the safety and comfort of your own home, you can now explore the former Hotel Ponce de Leon virtually. The current home of Flagler College, the former luxury hotel famed for its Tiffany Windows, ornate murals and Spanish-Renaissance architecture, is closed to visitors in an abundance of caution during the pandemic.
In order to serve the curious public and the many school groups who normally visit, college officials at Flagler’s Legacy Historic Tours have created a solution to share the history of the former Hotel Ponce de Leon through a virtual tour option. Flagler’s Legacy partnered with a local St. Augustine company, Listing Solutions, to capture the immersive 3D images of the interior of the former famed hotel. Areas included are the courtyard, the Flagler Room, the Dining Hall, Rotunda and the Solarium.
Each area has its own 3D model with unique interactive touch points including historic photos, fun facts, and views of rooms not usually accessible. Additionally, the virtual option has more information than can fit into the one-hour, inperson tour.
“The new tour was created more as an added bonus to our Flagler’s Legacy Tours, rather than a replacement,” said Flagler’s Legacy Assistant Director Nikki Liberatore. “It is a great option for anyone who has never visited us, can’t make it to us, or for those who have visited us many times before.”
Flagler’s Legacy Historic Tours is currently operating from its flagship store on St. George Street while the campus location remains closed. All merchandise is available at the main location, as well as online here.
Virtual tours are accessible through mobile devices or on desktop and are free to view here. For more information or questions, please contact Flagler’s Legacy at (904) 823-3378.
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Flagler College is a small private, independent college located in St. Augustine, Fla. The college offers 34 majors, 41 minors, and a master’s degree in Education of the Deaf/Hard of Hearing. Flagler College has an enrollment of about 2,500 students, as well as an offsite campus in Tallahassee, Fla. U.S. News & World Report and The Princeton Review regularly feature Flagler as a college that offers quality education at a relatively low cost. A Flagler education is less than half the cost of similar private colleges, and competitive with many state universities. A relatively young institution (founded in 1968), Flagler College is also noted for its historic beauty. The centerpiece of the campus is the former Hotel Ponce de Leon, a National Historic Landmark opened in 1888 by railroad pioneer and Standard Oil co-founder Henry M. Flagler. For more on Flagler College, visit www.flagler.edu.
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Contact:
Tonya Creamer
tcreamer@flagler.edu
(904) 826-8582