Category: Civil Architecture > House
District: Lisboa > Lisboa > Lisboa > Sé
Casa dos Bicos is located in the parish of Santa Maria Maior, in Lisbon, near Terreiro do Paço, in a historical area where the Alfândega (Customs House) and the Ribeira Velha market were previously located.
Built in 1523 by order of Brás de Albuquerque, son of Afonso de Albuquerque, one of the main governors of Portuguese India. Casa dos Bicos is now the headquarters of the José Saramago Foundation and one of the nuclei of the Museu de Lisboa (Museum of Lisbon).
The house stands out for its facade covered with stones carved in the shape of diamond points, a design influenced by Italian Renaissance architecture. The inspiration came from palaces that Brás de Albuquerque saw in Italy. The facade also has a unique charm due to the irregular arrangement of the windows and doors.
The 1755 earthquake destroyed much of the house, including two upper floors. For many years, the building served as a cod warehouse. In 1983, it was restored and the lost floors were rebuilt.
Excavations in the 1980s revealed traces of the medieval wall, Roman tanks and a tower from the medieval period, elements that can be visited inside Casa dos Bicos.
Currently, Casa dos Bicos houses the José Saramago Foundation, with a library dedicated to the Nobel laureate in Literature and a permanent exhibition about his life and work.
On the ground floor is the Archaeological Center of the Museu de Lisboa, which exhibits objects that tell the history of the city from Roman times to the 18th century.
Sources: https://pt.wikipedia.org/wiki/Casa_dos_Bicos
License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/deed.pt
Coordinates DD: 38.709037679830175,-9.132684049068825
Coordinates DMS: 38°42'32.5"N 09°07'57.7"W
Weather Lisboa
On-duty Pharmacy Lisboa
