High ceilings do the first work here. On the piano nobile of this 1857 palace in Reguengos de Monsaraz, southeastern Portugal, rooms rise to nearly six metres, carrying original stucco and painted decoration that speak to a moment when architecture was as much about lineage as shelter. Commissioned by Joaquim Romão Mendes Papança, a prominent 19th-century landowner and civic figure, the house was conceived as a statement of permanence within the landscape of Alentejo.

The Gothic Victorian structure unfolds across roughly 2,589sqm over two floors, set within a walled plot of about 6,276sqm near Evora. Eight bedrooms and four bathrooms are arranged around a sequence of formal salons, loggias and circulation spaces that prioritise scale, symmetry and light. Much of the original structure remains intact, though the building now requires full restoration.

Outside, terraces and gardens create a buffer between house and town, while the wider setting places Monsaraz, the Alqueva reservoir and the region’s vineyards within easy reach. It’s listed for US$2,347,235 via De Brito Properties.

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