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GPS 41.14607561878717, -8.608184908826278

Casa Vicent is an old commercial establishment in the city of Porto, in Portugal.

Casa Vicent is located at number 174 Rua de 31 de Janeiro, in the parish of Santo Ildefonso, in the heart of Porto.

Description

Casa Vicent is in the process of being classified, following an Order dated August 24, 1995.

The building stands out, above all, for the use of golden cast iron on the facade, with contours made up of a chain of arched elements forming vegetal motifs, topped off with a shell crowned by a vegetal element, whose shapes seem to refer to the survival of a certain rocaille taste.

Inside, the space maintains all the original furniture, including showcases, counters and lamps, where gold is a constant. And it is also inside that we can admire the paper-covered walls, the plastered and painted ceilings, as well as the wooden floors.

History

At the beginning of the 20th century, Porto boasted several urban spaces of great refinement and elegance, arranged in a truly cosmopolitan atmosphere, largely thanks to the development of the Port wine trade and the enormous influence that the British community had in the city.

As in the main European centers of the time, it was at the dawn of the 20th century that the city witnessed the flourishing of the Art Nouveau movement, whose architectural and decorative lines were preferably placed in commercial buildings and cafes. The new materials—such as iron and glass—evoked the industrial power and scientific-technological advances made throughout the 19th century. Emblematic buildings such as Café Majestic, Ourivesaria Cunha and Reis & Filhos are good examples of this, where cast iron works closely with the production of carved and chiselled silver.

Located on Rua de 31 de Janeiro, the facade of Casa Vicent was created during the First World War, between 1914 and 1915, with materials probably ordered from Companhia Aliança, founded in Porto in 1852 by Barão de Massarelos. Its architect is unknown.

The name Vicent comes from the Spanish merchant who settled there, at a time when this street became one of the main commercial arteries of daily life in Porto.

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