Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters
Loading...
Loading...
Loading...
Loading...

No search results found for
“”

Make sure words are spelled correctly.

Try searching for a travel destination.

Places near me Random place

Popular Destinations

  • Paris
  • London
  • New York
  • Berlin
  • Rome
  • Los Angeles
Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters
Sign In Join
Places near me Random place
All Spain Alcolea del Pinar Casa de Piedra (Stone House)

Casa de Piedra (Stone House)

An impressive home made of stone, carved more than a century ago.

Alcolea del Pinar, Spain

Added By
Piedrasmagicas
Email
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list
CAPTION
A modern-day view of the stone house   http://www.waymarking.com/waymarks/WM8YX7_...
Stone house  
The interior of the stone house   http://www.waymarking.com/waymarks/WM8YX7_...
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list

About

In 1907, Lino Bueno had a job to do. At first it seemed simple enough: excavate some of the soft, rich limestone from the nearby hillsides to create municipal buildings for the city he lived in. But before long, Lino realized that he was inadvertently building something much more interesting – an everlasting home for him and his family.

The Spanish town where Lino lived, Alcolea Del Pinar, was like any other. People worked, people played, people raised their families. The story was usually the same: one worked hard to make a living, and used the material fruits of their labor to build a home and start a family. The Bueno family just happened to live out this time-honored tale in a much more literal way.

Eight years after Lino originally began to excavate the stone, a notion hit him. The large shelf he was carving into the rock could easily double as a shelter – perhaps even his own family. The walls were sturdy and obviously built to last, and the space was more than enough to accommodate a family at that time. And it made sense that a home made of stone would outlast any other home he would purchase or build.

So it wasn't long before the family tested his theory and moved into the shelter. And then never left.

Through the years, Lino kept carving, creating fixtures the hard way with a pick and chisel, decorating the space with a fireplace, seating, shelves, cabinets, stairs, balconies, and more finely finished walls and ceilings – all with his own bare hands. It wasn't until 1929 that he felt he could call his work finished.

Not coincidentally, that was also the year in which he was given a merit badge by the Ministry of Labour, and had the chance to meet King Alfonso XII, accompanied by Queen Victoria Eugenia, the Prime Minister Primo de Rivera and other high officials of the state. And that was only the beginning of what would be the house's storied history. During the Spanish Civil War, the stone house served as a refuge for local villagers, and has since been a odd and popular destination for curious travelers, from lowly tourists to powerful heads of state.

Related Tags

Architectural Oddities Eccentric Homes Follies And Grottoes Outsider Architecture Subterranean Sites Architecture Homes

Community Contributors

Added By

Piedrasmagicas

Edited By

Mark Casey

  • Mark Casey

Published

May 22, 2012

Edit this listing

Make an Edit
Add Photos
Casa de Piedra (Stone House)
Alcolea del Pinar, 19260
Spain
41.035827, -2.469177

Nearby Places

The Universal Sculpture Garden

Alcolea del Pinar, Spain

miles away

Cívica

Brihuega, Spain

miles away

Santuario de la Virgen de Jaraba

Jaraba, Spain

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Alcolea del Pinar

Alcolea del Pinar

Spain

Places 2

Nearby Places

The Universal Sculpture Garden

Alcolea del Pinar, Spain

miles away

Cívica

Brihuega, Spain

miles away

Santuario de la Virgen de Jaraba

Jaraba, Spain

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Alcolea del Pinar

Alcolea del Pinar

Spain

Places 2

Related Places

  • Gwynedd, Wales

    Portmeirion Village

    A miniature Italianate fantasy village on the coast of Wales and the set of ITC classic "The Prisoner."

  • Hauterives, France

    Le Palais Idéal

    This whimsical castle of grottoes was the labor of love of a French postman, and one of the greatest achievements of outsider architecture.

  • Winchester Mystery House, with some of its many doors and windows.

    San Jose, California

    The Winchester Mystery House

    A peculiar mansion built by the troubled heir to the Winchester Rifle Company fortune.

  • Los Angeles, California

    Mosaic Tile House

    Rainbow-hued local gem in Venice.

  • Front entrance to the Whale House.

    Santa Barbara, California

    Whale House

    This stunning sea creature-shaped home blends into the landscape like a fantasy villa.

  • Iulia Hasdeu Castle.

    Câmpina, Romania

    Iulia Hasdeu Castle

    This eccentric folly house was designed by Romanian thinker Bogdan-Petriceicu Hasdeu, with a helping hand from his deceased daughter's spirit.

  • Quetzalcoatl’s Nest

    Naucalpan, Mexico

    El Nido de Quetzalcóatl

    An Aztec snake god has taken the material form of an apartment complex.

  • Little Moreton Hall from the outside

    Congleton, England

    Little Moreton Hall

    This logic-defying 16th-century Tudor manor still stands to the delight and astonishment of onlookers.

Aerial image of Vietnam, displaying the picturesque rice terraces, characterized by their layered, verdant fields.
Atlas Obscura Membership

Become an Atlas Obscura Member


Join our community of curious explorers.

Become a Member

Get Our Email Newsletter

Follow Us

Facebook YouTube TikTok Instagram Pinterest RSS Feed

Get the app

Download the App
Download on the Apple App Store Get it on Google Play
  • All Places
  • Latest Places
  • Most Popular
  • Places to Eat
  • Random
  • Nearby
  • Add a Place
  • Stories
  • Food & Drink
  • Itineraries
  • Lists
  • Video
  • Podcast
  • Newsletters
  • All Trips
  • Family Trip
  • Food & Drink
  • History & Culture
  • Wildlife & Nature
  • FAQ
  • Membership
  • Feedback & Ideas
  • Community Guidelines
  • Product Blog
  • Unique Gifts
  • Work With Us
  • About
  • FAQ
  • Advertise With Us
  • Advertising Guidelines
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy
  • Terms of Use
Atlas Obscura

© 2025 Atlas Obscura. All Rights Reserved.