Casa dos Bicos / José Saramago Foundation, Lisbon — Visitor Guide & Things to Do Nearby

Casa dos Bicos is impossible to miss and impossible to forget. Built in the early 16th century, this extraordinary building is covered with over 1,000 diamond-shaped stone protrusions that give it the nickname "House of the Beaks" or "House of the Spikes." The facade was inspired by the famous Palazzo dei Diamanti in Ferrara, Italy, bringing Italian Renaissance style to Lisbon through a uniquely Portuguese Manueline lens. Above the studded base, Manueline-style windows on the upper floors connect the building to Portugal's distinct architectural tradition.

The building survived the 1755 earthquake but gradually fell from grace, spending centuries as a warehouse before modern preservation efforts recognized its architectural importance. Its resurrection came in June 2012 when it became the headquarters of the Jose Saramago Foundation, honoring Portugal's Nobel Prize-winning author. Saramago's personal library is now housed inside, making the building both a historical artifact and a living cultural institution dedicated to literature and scholarship.

Perhaps the most moving detail is the olive tree planted at the front of the building, transplanted from Saramago's hometown of Azinhaga. Beneath that tree lie the author's ashes, creating an intimate memorial that connects one of Portugal's greatest writers to the city he loved. Questo's literary adventures in Lisbon bring you to Casa dos Bicos, where architecture, literature, and Portuguese identity all come together in one unforgettable building.