A jewel of Art Nouveau and Art Deco
The Casa Lis, located at 14 Gibraltar Street in Salamanca, is an Art Nouveau mansion that now houses the Art Nouveau and Art Deco Museum. It was commissioned by Miguel de Lis at the end of the 19th century, designed by the architect Joaquín de Vargas y Aguirre, and built upon the city’s old wall.
History and Architecture
Construction took place in 1905, featuring very differentiated North and South façades: the North façade (Gibraltar Street) is one of the few examples of Art Nouveau architecture in Salamanca, using stone, brick, and decorative iron railings in the Art Nouveau style.
The South façade, facing the Tormes River, combines iron, glass, and terraces, managing a large elevation change, which gives it a spectacular lighting effect.
The interior features a central courtyard covered by stained-glass windows, skylights, decorated living rooms, and summer and winter rooms, adapted to the climate and use of the era.
Over time, the house suffered abandonment until it was expropriated and restored in the 1980s to become a museum.
What you can see in the museum
The Art Nouveau and Art Deco Museum Casa Lis preserves a collection of more than 2,000–2,500 pieces of decorative arts from the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Some of the most notable collections include:
- Artistic glass (stained-glass windows, vases, lamps).
- Chryselephantine sculptures (bronze and ivory) with marble and onyx bases.
- Porcelain dolls, decorative objects, jewelry, enamels, bronzes.
- Temporary exhibitions and numerous associated cultural activities.
Visiting the Casa Lis is not only about admiring a magnificent collection of decorative arts, but also about:
- Enjoying a building that is an artwork in itself: its Art Nouveau architecture built upon the wall, the combination of materials, and the colorful stained-glass windows.
- Observing historical details of bourgeois life in Salamanca at the beginning of the 20th century.
