Casa de las Conchas

The Casa de las Conchas, the House of Shells, is one of the most recognisable buildings in Salamanca, and the reason is on its walls. The façade is covered in carved stone scallop shells, more than three hundred of them, set in diagonal rows across the golden sandstone. The scallop is the emblem of the pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela and also a symbol of the Order of Santiago, and the house was built for Rodrigo Arias Maldonado, a knight of that order who belonged to a prominent Salamanca family. Construction began at the end of the fifteenth century, in the same decades when the city’s noble families were building grand houses around the university and the cathedral quarter.

The design mixes several styles, which is typical of Spain at the turn of the sixteenth century. The structure is late Gothic, and details such as the ironwork on the windows and the heraldic coats of arms are in the same tradition. Mudéjar touches, reflecting the Islamic craft tradition, appear in the decoration, and the more graceful Isabelline manner and the first Renaissance elements are visible in the windows and the courtyard. The result is a building that records the transition between the Middle Ages and the Renaissance. The upper windows have grilles of delicate iron, and the main entrance is framed by carved stone.

The interior courtyard is the best part of the visit. It is surrounded by two levels of galleries, with arches of mixed-line shape and carved stone balustrades, and lion figures decorate the upper level. The courtyard has a calm, elegant character, in contrast with the lively street outside. A story that circulates in the city says that a coin or a treasure was hidden beneath one of the shells, though this belongs to local folklore. A restoration of the shells in the twentieth century replaced some worn pieces.

Today the building houses the public library of Salamanca, so the courtyard and parts of the ground floor are open as a public space, while the library rooms are in use by readers. Opening times change with the season and the library’s operations, so check the regional tourism page before going. The visit is short, since most people come to see the façade and step into the courtyard.

The house stands on Calle Compañía, directly opposite La Clerecía, the baroque church and former Jesuit college whose towers can be climbed for views over the city. The University of Salamanca, the Old and New Cathedrals and the Convento de San Esteban are all a short walk away, so the house fits naturally into a day in the old town. The golden stone looks best in the evening light.