House of Beaks/Spikes | |
---|---|
Casa dos Bicos | |
Location of the residence within the municipality of Lisbon | |
General information | |
Type | Residence |
Architectural style | Art Nouveau |
Location | Santa Maria Maior |
Country | Portugal |
Coordinates | 38°42′32.8″N 9°7′57.7″W / 38.709111°N 9.132694°W |
Opened | 1523 |
Owner | Portuguese Republic |
Technical details | |
Material | Masonry |
Design and construction | |
Architect(s) | António Marques Miguel |
The Casa dos Bicos (Portuguese pronunciation: [ˈkazɐ ðuʒ ˈβikuʃ]; "House of the Beaks/Spikes") is a historical house in the civil parish of Santa Maria Maior, in the Portuguese municipality of Lisbon. The house, built in the early 16th century in the Alfama neighbourhood, has a curious façade of spikes, influenced by Italian Renaissance palaces and Portuguese Manueline styles. It survived the disastrous 1755 Lisbon earthquake that destroyed much of the city, but over time was abandoned as a residence and used as a warehouse. After a 20th-century renovation, it became the headquarters of the José Saramago Foundation and a location of the Museum of Lisbon.