Casa dos Bicos - José Saramago Foundation

Exquisite landmark of Alfama district, the elevation of this tenement building is done in Reinessance style. Feast for eyes. I wish the battery in my camera hadn't gone dead, I would be able to upload more pics now.

The architecture is interesting, I haven't been inside. From outside looks ok.

The history of the landmark, spanning almost 600 years, can be looked up in every Lisbon guidebook or easily found online. To cap it all, Casa dos Bicos is one of the very few buildings that survived the terrible 1775 earthquake. It is, however, not the only one, but most assuredly one of the prettiest and the most unusual for Lisbon (would look less out of place in Florence or Venice, for the building was designed having Italian architectural style in mind). As you will learn, the present building wasn't completely preserved, for its 2 upper floors did get damage during the earthquake and some serious restauration work was done later on, at different periods in the building's history. Be it as it may, the magnificent edifice is also a major attraction for the literature lovers, for it is the home of the José Saramago Foundation, the most famous of the modern Portuguese writers, and the recipient of the Nobel Prize in literature. The 1st floor of the building houses the permanent exhibition "José Saramago. The seed and the fruits" and there is a bookstore and a shop on the 3rd floor. The opening hours are: From Tuesday to Saturday, from 10 am to 1 pm and from 3 pm to 6 pm Daylight Saving Time: Tuesday to Saturday, 10 am to 1 pm and 3 pm to 7 pm The cost of admission is as follows: Normal ticket - 3,00 €; Family ticket - 8,00 €; Student ticket (student card presentation required) - € 2.00 Children younger than 12 are admitted for free. Now, the outside area is a sort of memorial for the brilliant writer, who doesn't have a grave; his ashes are buried under the old olive tree right outside Casa dos Bicos. Please note the huge elephant footprint; it is a tribute to one of the most famous Saramago's books, The Elephant's Journey. Casa dos Bicos is located on the western boundary of Alfama, right next to Lisbon's downtown (Baixa) and is within 12 minutes' walk from Rossio Square.

It's a small venue, so the exhibits are not that big. Here you will find several facts about Saramago's life, his books in serveral language and also his burrial place in front of the house. It's especially recommended for his avid readers

Lovely little museum dedicated to a great portuguese author and only 3 euros. Also the ground floor is free and includes some cool roman artefacts and history

The ground floor, which is free to enter, is completely dedicated to an archaeological site, which is a must see in this corner of Lisbon. The upper floors are a paid area dedicated to a Portuguese writer and perhaps of lesser interest to most tourists. Take care to note the slight exterior differences between the newer top two floors and the older bottom two floors.

marvellous place for saramago stans

Mostly this review is because of the charming street we were walking in! Love this place