Salamanca - House of the Scallop-Shells Casa de las Conchas

From Plaza Corillo the Rúa Mayor runs southwest to a small square, at the corner of which, on the right, is the Casa de las Conchas, built in 1514. This was the town mansion of Talavera Maldonado, a knight of the Order of Santiago, who decorated the facade of his house lavishly with the scallop-shells associated with St James, which create changing patterns of light and shade according to the position of the sun. Note also the finely wrought window grilles. Visitors are shown round the house, which has a very handsome two-story courtyard and a staircase well with a beautiful coffered ceiling.