Deemed "the most Portuguese town in Portugal," the village of Monsanto's homes and shops are built amongst ancient rock formations.
In Portugal, an entire town was built between large rock formations.
This town is Monsanto, an ancient village where instead of removing boulders to build homes and shops, the townspeople built them between the rocks.
The rocks were utilized in the construction of the homes, acting as walls, staircases and even rooftops.
The rocks provide a distinctly organic look and feel to the interior design of each home.
The odd layout of the village, along with its unique architecture, earned Monsanto the distinction of being the most Portuguese village in Portugal, a title it has retained since 1938.
Occupants of the town are unable to change their houses without permission and permits. This is due to Monsanto's status as a living museum.
Any changes made to property has to preserve the historic look and feel the town has had for all these decades.
Monsanto offers visitors a chance to step back in time. The fact that the boulder town can't be reached by public transportation adds to its authenticity.
