#336 - Alfama L

Casa dos Bicos

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The Casa dos Bicos (Portuguese for House of the Spikes) is a historical house in the city of Lisbon, in Portugal. The house, built in the early 16th century in the Alfama neighbourhood, has a curious façade of Renaissance and Manueline influence. It has survived the disastrous 1755 Lisbon Earthquake that destroyed much of the city.

The Casa dos Bicos was built around 1523 by Brás de Albuquerque (1501-1581), son of the first governor of Portuguese India, Afonso de Albuquerque. Brás de Albuquerque had spent some years in Italy, where he could get first hand contact with Italian Renaissance architecture. He presumably saw urban palaces like the Palazzo dei Diamanti, in Ferrara, that have façades covered with diamond-shaped spikes. Upon his return to Portugal, Brás de Albuquerque built the Casa dos Bicos with a façade "dei diamanti", but incorporating Manueline (Portuguese late Gothic) windows and portals.

In 1755, the earthquake destroyed a great part of the building. The main façade was destroyed, and the two upper storeys of the façade facing the Bacalhoeiros street (the current main façade) came down. The house was kept in possession of the Albuquerque family until the 19th century, when it was acquired by a codfish trader. It was used for years as a storage house for codfish (Bacalhau). Around 1960 the house was acquired by the Lisbon Municipality.

In the 1980s the house was restored and partially rebuilt. The two upper storeys of the current main façade were rebuilt based on pre-1755 drawings and paintings, which showed a Renaissance loggia on the third floor and the Manueline-style windows. Archaeological excavations were carried out inside the house, revealing remnants of Roman and Moorish periods.

#334 - Alfama XLIX

Casa dos Bicos
A 16th century architectural curiosity

"This "House of Spikes" is an architectural curiosity, faced with diamond-shaped stones (a total of 1125).

It is a 16th century palace that belonged to Afonso de Albuquerque, the Portuguese viceroy of India, and is one of the very few buildings that survived the 1755 earthquake.

It is thought to have been modelled on the palaces of Venice, although the two upper floors have exuberant arched windows characteristic of the Portuguese Manueline style.

Its interior is not usually open to the public, except when it hosts occasional special exhibitions. It is currently in the process of turning into the home of the Saramago Foundation, a space dedicated to the Nobel Prize-winning Portuguese writer. It will host special literary events and contain the author's library.

There are tourist shops in the vicinity as well as cheap restaurants known for their traditional grilled fish dishes. " [*]

Where: Rua dos Bacalhoeiros, Alfama How: Walk from Comercio Square. When: Only opens for temporary exhibitions.

Sights Nearby

Comercio Square - Monumental riverside square.
Municipal Square - Home of the City Hall palace.
Rua Augusta - The city's main shopping street.
Conceição Velha Church - Church that survived the Great Earthquake.
The National Pantheon - The domed church that took centuries to complete.
Santo Antonio Church - Saint Anthony's birthplace.
The Roman Theater - The archaological remains of a once large Roman theater.
Fado Museum - The story of the national music.
Military Museum - A testament to the country's battles.
Doca do Jardim do Tabaco - Sleek restaurants and club on the waterfront.


Tune tomorrow for more Casa dos Bicos photos