Houses made of stone and rock ...

Stunning city Monsanto

Stone houses - perhaps hewn preserving the natural harmony of rock fragments - is never outdated. And although they cost many times more expensive than built on modern technologies - are still people willing to pay for this style of money or labor. A most unusual and picturesque stone houses stand in the Portuguese town of Monsanto: the locals for hundreds of years to build out their huge blocks of houses, and as a result have created a real harmony of stone.

A lonely little village (or, according to European notions, a small town), Monsanto is in the mountains of Serra da Estrela, which separates the fertile coastal plain of Portugal on the Spanish expanses. Obviously, in the interest of security to found the village had once decided on a rocky hill. For natural protection from the attacks had to pay enormous difficulty: each house of stone in Monsanto literally conquered a mountain. The only advantage - of building materials was no shortage. In addition to residential buildings here once stood a small castle.

Due to its special layout Monsanto has not changed over the past century: to build something new here nowhere and demolish an old - sorry. This made ​​the town a national asset. Even in 1938, Monsanto was voted "most Portuguese village in Portugal." Additional limitations on construction have turned it into a "museum city".

Monsanto is not easy to reach: it is far away from cities and need a long drive along a mountain road. But the city is not teeming with tourists. But here often go in search of new staff photographers: stone houses in Monsanto produces an incredible experience, especially in cloudy weather.

Especially popular among the tourists remains of a medieval castle, a charming stone church and a rooftop terrace houses, with a magnificent view. Virtually all the houses of stone crosses can be found: Jesus Christ - the official patron of Monsanto. Although this role is perhaps best approached to the apostle Peter.