Visit one of the most fascinating houses in Lisbon, returned to its past glory after the José Saramago Foundation took up residence.
The Casa dos Bicos, which belongs to the Museum of Lisbon and is currently home to the José Saramago Foundation, is unique.
Behind its façade of diamond-shaped stones lies the personal library of the Nobel Prize-winner for Literature in 1998. It also houses an exhibition about his life and work.
Outside, under an olive tree, lie the ashes of one of Portugal’s greatest authors.
But the building’s history dates back further, to 1523 and the son of the second governor of Portuguese India. Inspired by the Italian Renaissance and the palaces of Bologna, he decided to build one for himself.
But the symmetry of the doors and windows was neglected. The end result is a house which looks like a door into an enchanted kingdom. Considering the vast library inside, the description is very apt.