Casa de las Conchas, Salamanca, Spain

The Casa de las Conchas is a historical building in Salamanca. It currently houses a public library. It was built from 1493 to 1517 by Rodrigo Arias de Maldonado, a knight of the Order of Santiago de Compostela and a professor in the University of Salamanca. Its most peculiar feature is the façade, mixing late Gothic and Plateresque style, decorated with more than 300 shells, symbol of the order of Santiago, as well as of the pilgrims performing the Way of St. James. In the façade are also the coat of arms of the Catholic Monarchs and four windows in Gothic style, each one having a different shape. The entrance portal has the coat of arms of the Maldonado family, while in the architrave are dolphins, a Renaissance symbol of love, and vegetable elements.

The inner court is characterized, in the lower floor, by arches supported by square pilasters, while in the upper ones they are supported by shorter columns in Carrara marble.

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Palaces, manors and town halls in Spain

User Reviews

Kally Mchugh (4 years ago)
Great public library with lots of desk space and plug sockets that is open to all

Bill Hajko (4 years ago)
Amazing coffee, pastre, and hamon!!!

Steve Ray (4 years ago)
Great food and service ?

Urban Traveler (5 years ago)
Lovely building with sea shells embedded all around

William Towler (5 years ago)
Overall not bad, but too many shells. Im feeling a strong seven to a light eight.

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