16th Century Palace, 8 Bedrooms, Elvas, Alentejo
in the alentejo, in the historical centre of elvas, just 20 kilometres from badajoz, 42 kilometres from estremoz, 84 kilometres from évora and 200 kilometres from lisbon, we find the extraordinary palácio dos mesquita pimentel, boasting 500 years of history.
located close to the cathedral, in largo de santa clara, one of the most typical and picturesque squares in elvas. the largo de santa clara is comprised of a triangular square, surrounded by noble manor houses and next to igreja de nossa senhora da consolação. this square is also close to the 10th century arabic gate, flanked by two towers and crowned by a gallery.
the mesquita pimentel palace was built in the 16th century by luís de mesquita pimentel, noble knight of the city of elvas. the palace was home to king filipe ii of spain in 1580, while he lived in elvas prior to moving onwards to lisbon. several months prior, the palace had been remodelled by the spanish court architect juan de herrera, the same architect that built the mosteiro do escorial. the palace had originally been connected to another building located a bit further south, at the eastern gate, and thus, at the outset, was a single structure.
the palace was subject to various interventions throughout the 18th and 19th centuries, preserving merely a corner window on the lateral façade, facing rua tenente passos e sousa. the architectural columns surrounding this corner window are typical of spanish architecture of the late 16th century. inside the palace, one finds a large patio which one enters via a gate crowned with the mesquita pimentel coat of arms.
an impressive portion of the first islamic fortress walls runs through the palace. this fortress wall was built in the 9th century and includes the ancient temple gate of the fortress wall, with an original wrought-iron arch and elbow-shaped entrance.
distributed among three floors and with high ornamented ceilings, the palace currently has eight bedrooms, seven living rooms, four bathrooms, three libraries/offices, three marble fireplaces, two kitchens, five vaulted grain cellars, stables, a wood storage house, garage, various patios, terraces and varandas and an orchard. there is ample space to install a pool.
the palace offers panoramic views of elvas and its idyllic surroundings. since it is a heritage site, it also qualifies for certain fiscal benefits.
this property offers the opportunity to create a truly unique and charming boutique hotel, rich in history and culture.
