Vasconcelos Family House

Category: Civil Architecture > House

District: Faro > Silves > Silves > Centro Histórico

Location:

Situated in the heart of Silves's Historic Center, the Casa da Família Vasconcelos stands on one of the city's main thoroughfares, Rua 25 de Abril. Located in a mid-slope urban area, it stands out for how it opens up to the public space, with facades facing north and east. Its position gives it a striking presence in the urban fabric, contributing to the characteristic ambiance of this old area, marked by heritage buildings and traditional street layouts.

The building integrates into a setting where the city's history is still palpable in its facades, materials, and volumes, allowing visitors a visual interpretation of Silves's urban evolution throughout the centuries.

Architecture and Style

Built in the late 19th century, this manor house features a simple rectangular structure, comprising two floors and a hipped roof. The main facade, facing north, is organized into three vertical sections and clad with tiles that simulate marble, an aesthetic detail that gives it sobriety and distinction within the urban fabric.

The ground floor is characterized by stone openings with curved lintels, five doors, and six parapet windows. On the upper floor, the noble floor, eleven balcony windows stand out, some projecting, with cast iron railings, including a central set that connects three openings into a single balcony. These elements reflect the bourgeois taste of the era and reveal the care in the building's symmetrical and functional composition.

Distinctive Elements

The use of tilework imitating marble is one of the house's most notable aspects. Unlike the typical colorfulness of Portuguese tiles, here a more restrained aesthetic was chosen, contributing to an elegant and discreet visual effect. This choice is rare in residential buildings of the same period in the region and reinforces the status of the family who commissioned the property.

The cast iron railings of the upper windows, the lateral pillars with decorative stone urns, and the entrance gate reinforce the artistic and functional care given to the exterior details. These elements help to understand the type of affluent dwelling that marked the late 19th century in Silves.

History and Conservation

Commissioned in 1898, the house maintained its residential function for much of its existence. In 1969, part of its balustrade was destroyed by an earthquake, a fact that marks its material chronology. In 2010, it was classified as a Property of Municipal Interest by the municipality of Silves, which ensured its legal protection and recognition as relevant heritage for local identity.

Currently, the building is used for non-residential purposes, nevertheless preserving its structural integrity and exterior aesthetics. Despite being adapted to new functions, the Casa da Família Vasconcelos maintains its value as an architectural testament to 19th-century Silves.

License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/deed.pt