The house, built in the early 16th century in the Alfama neighbourhood, has a curious façade of spikes, influenced by Italian Renaissance palaces and Portuguese Manueline styles.

The historical record indicates that as of 1506, Afonso de Albuquerque, the first governor of Portuguese India, had buildings in the area, if not ownership of the lands.

[1] In 1521, his son Brás de Albuquerque travelled to Italy in the company of the Infanta Beatrice, Duchess of Savoy, and spent some years there, where he observed the new trends in Renaissance architecture.

[2] It is presumed that he was influenced by urban palaces such as the Palazzo dei Diamanti (in Ferrara), so called in reference to its façade made up of thousands of small diamond-shaped pyramids.

[1][2] Between 1521 and 1523, Albuquerque returned to Portugal, and began work on this Casa dos Diamantes (House of Diamonds), incorporating Manueline (Portuguese late Gothic architecture) windows and portals, but died in 1581.

Following the public works, it became one of the nuclei of the European Art, Science and Cultural Exposition, exhibiting paintings of the Avis dynastic family.

The Casa dos Bicos is situated along the northern side of the street, contiguous with other buildings and identifiable by the surface treatment of its façade.

[1] The interior has been substantially altered from its early conceptions, and includes a steep, clear marble staircase with bold lines and contrasting black walls.