At the top of Monte Palmela the first "Moroccan" house by Raul Lino was built by the Duchess of Palmela, D. Maria Luisa Souza Holstein and for the musician Alexandre Rey Colaco. The Moorish aspect is very visible in several details of the decoration and architecture, namely in the exterior and interior use of the brick. In this house structured from the inside out, all the elements merge and contribute to the harmony of the whole, in which the characteristics of the "Portuguese house" are also evident in the line of the plundered and topped roof with eaves, on the porches, in the covered spaces stonework, whitewashing and the use of tile, which merges, complements and reinforces architecture. The almost circular gazebo, which extends the dining room, is also an important formal element for the balance of the entire ensemble. The building has an irregular plan composed by the articulation of 3 rectangular and octagonal bodies with 3 floors. Although the main access to the building is located on elevation North, which is marked by the presence of a porch supported by masonry corbels with blue and white tiles, the house has a main elevation to the East.
The Interior
The house it is accessed through a narrow corridor to a wide hall with tile panels dating from the 16th century, recognizing the presence of a chimney on the South side. It is from this hall that the rest of the internal organization and distribution takes place, namely, through of a wooden staircase with straight flights with intermediate levels, leading to the upper floors, the private area of the house. On the ground floor there is the living room with the balcony, and the dining room, with a square floor plan.