Casa de las Conchas, a building in Salamanca, Spain, boasts an extraordinary exterior. Over 300 conch shells decorate it, each one symbolizing the Order of Santiago and a pilgrim’s journey on the Way of St. James. The structure was constructed between 1493 and 1517 by Rodrigo Arias de Maldonado, a knight of the Order of Santiago de Compostela and a professor at the University of Salamanca.
The edifice harmoniously combines late Gothic and Plateresque styles. The Catholic Monarchs’ crest and four windows in unique Gothic shapes are additional specifics on the façade. The entrance portal reveals the Maldonado family’s emblem, flanked by dolphins - a Renaissance symbol of love - and vegetable motifs.
Currently, you can visit Casa de las Conchas to witness its historical splendor, as it now houses a public library. The inner court is characterized, on the lower floor, by arches supported by square pilasters, while in the upper ones they are supported by shorter columns in Carrara marble.
Sources: Wikipedia, OpenStreetMap, Wikidata, Wikimedia Commons
Written by Nik Frost
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