Within Mar-a-Lago, the expansive estate long associated with Palm Beach opulence, Melania Trump has settled into an unexpected space: a unique 75-foot tower that rises above the grounds like a scene from a Mediterranean storybook.
While Donald Trump sleeps in the family quarters of the 20-acre estate, Melania has chosen the historic tower—a striking structure made of coquina and concrete that serves as both an architectural landmark and a practical engineering marvel. The tower’s unusual design creates a passive cooling system, pulling in ocean breezes and drawing hot air up and out of the building, making it an ideal retreat in the Florida heat.
The tower began as an architectural statement when Marjorie Merriweather Post built Mar-a-Lago between 1924 and 1927, but it was later turned into bedrooms. Eric Trump remembers playing in the tower as a child, long before his father transformed the property into the center of political power it has become today.
Melania changed her permanent residence to Mar-a-Lago in October 2025, according to forms filed with authorities. The move marked a shift from earlier speculation that she maintained her primary residence at Trump Tower in New York City.
The tower has become more than just Melania’s chosen quarters. “It stands as a South Florida landmark and serves as a navigational aid to boaters traversing the waters off Palm Beach, Florida,” according to reports. The distinctive structure can be spotted from considerable distances, its height and unique construction making it instantly recognizable along the coastline.
Mar-a-Lago’s origins trace back to the vision of Marjorie Merriweather Post, who, along with her husband E.F. Ned Hutton, commissioned architects Marion Sims Wyeth and Joseph Urban to create what would become one of America’s most storied estates.
The estate’s construction required extraordinary resources and craftsmanship. Workers installed 36,000 Spanish tiles throughout the property, while the walls were constructed of Dorian stone imported from Genoa, Italy. The massive undertaking resulted in a property featuring 58 bedrooms and 33 bathrooms spread across 110,000 square feet of living space.
Post built Mar-a-Lago at a reported cost of $7 million for construction alone. “The estate’s name, which translates roughly to ‘sea to lake,’ reflects its unique position stretching from the Atlantic to the lake, offering water views in both directions,” sources note.
When Marjorie Post died in 1973, she willed the property to the National Park Service, hoping it would serve as a retreat for visiting dignitaries. However, the federal government found the upkeep costs prohibitive and returned the property to the Post Foundation in 1981.
Donald Trump purchased Mar-a-Lago in 1985 for $8 million, though the total cost of the acquisition reached approximately $10 million when furnishings and additional expenses were included.
Trump converted the estate to a private club in 1995, opening its doors to paying members while maintaining private family quarters in a separate section of the property. The conversion allowed the estate to generate revenue while preserving its historical character and grandeur.
The property showcases an eclectic blend of architectural influences. The construction incorporated materials and artifacts from around the world, including Austrian sculptors Franz Barwig Elder and Younger, who contributed to the estate’s distinctive decorative elements.
The tower where Melania now resides represents just one element of Mar-a-Lago’s architectural complexity, demonstrating sophisticated engineering that was ahead of its time in the 1920s.
Melania’s choice of residence within Mar-a-Lago offers her privacy and separation from the main flow of club activities and official business. The tower provides a unique vantage point over both the estate grounds and the surrounding Palm Beach landscape, offering views that few other locations in South Florida can match.
Mar-a-Lago’s transformation from private mansion to government property to exclusive club represents one of the more unusual trajectories in American real estate history. The estate that Marjorie Merriweather Post hoped would serve dignitaries has indeed achieved that purpose, though not through the path she originally envisioned. As a repository of early 20th century craftsmanship, featuring materials and techniques that would be prohibitively expensive to replicate today, Mar-a-Lago stands as a testament to an era of estate building that has long since passed.
