Casa de las Conchas

Currently used as a public library, this late 15th early 16th-century building contains a facade that reflects the position of its original owner, Rodrigo Arias de Maldonado who was a physician in the court of Queen Isabella I. Maldonado was a professor at the University of Salamanca and a member of the Chivalric Order of Santiago, whose symbol is the scallop shell. The facade of this amazing building is adorned with 300 carvings of scallop shells.

The scallop shell has also long been recognized as a symbol associated with the famous pilgrimage path, the Camino de Santiago. The building has a very attractive central colonnade and courtyard with a central fountain.

This is not the only building in the Atlas that happens to be adorned with shells, but it is unusual in that it contains shell carvings.