LASTA RLTOOK
AN ARCHITECTURAL
ODDITY
Photography by Noraa
This unusual architecture has become an iconic symbol of the city
of Tampa. The minarets sit atop the former Tampa Bay Hotel,
which opened in 1891, after being built by railroad tycoon Henry
Plant to encourage visits to the area via his rail line. Henry wanted
something unusual that would attract people, and thus we have these
Moorish-style minarets that give the Tampa skyline a distinctive look.
184 TAMPA BAY MAGAZINE | JULY/AUGUST 2019