Casa de las Conchas

The Casa de las Conchas ( House of Shells German ) in Salamanca, the capital of the Spanish province of Salamanca, Castile and León, is a palace built in the late 15th century. The building is a listed building ( Bien de Interès Cultural ).

Description

The Casa de las Conchas, built 1493-1517 for Rodrigo Arias de Maldonado, is found directly at the Pontifical University. The facade facing the street is very striking, for it consists of granitic boss stones that are decorated with more than 300 scallops, symbol of the pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela. Comparable buildings are the Casa de los Picos in Segovia and the Palazzo dei Diamanti in Ferrara.

The portal is decorated with a coat of arms Plateresque. Inside the patio has a gallery on the first floor which is supported by polygonal columns.

Current usage

In the building there is now a public library of the provincial government.