Casa Allen, Museum in Porto, Portugal
Casa Allen is a museum housed in a historic residence on Rua António Cardoso, in one of the older parts of Porto. The building, designed by architect Marques da Silva, has a east-facing facade with a columned portico, while the actual entrance is on the south side and opens into a large atrium connecting the different parts of the house.
The house was built in the 1920s for Joaquim Allen, an engineer from a family of English origin that had been involved in the wine trade between Portugal and England for generations. His great-grandfather, João Allen, had helped found the first museum in Porto in the 19th century and was a member of a key commercial association in the city.
The Centro Português de Fotografia once used the building as an exhibition space for photography from across Portugal. Today, visitors can walk through the garden, which has old trees and a small pond that once reflected the facade of the house.
The house is located in an older part of Porto and is best reached on foot or by public transport. As restoration work has taken place, it is worth checking which areas are open before visiting.
The east facade of the house has a columned portico that resembles a human face, yet it was never used as the entrance. It is thought that Joaquim Allen had the project adjusted so the house could make better use of natural light throughout the day.
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