In honor of the newly minted Curbed Boston, we're heading up to The Hub to take a look at the five most expensive properties on the market. Sure, there are plenty of high-dollar houses in the suburbs, but for our purposes, let's just focus on the exorbitant homes within the city limits. Leading it off is the Ames-Webster Mansion, a 50-room product of 1872 that was designed by the legendary Peabody & Stearns. With gilt ceilings, extensive woodwork, murals, stained glass by John La Farge, and 11,000-square-feet in one of Boston's most desirable neighborhoods, Back Bay, it's no wonder the price is set at an astronomical $23M.
? If 11,000-square-feet isn't quite enough space for your Bostonian aspirations, try this 50-foot-wide, 15,000-square-foot bowfront townhouse, also located in Back Bay. The architecture and stained-glass might not have any famous names attached, but the price is much reduced, to $16M. Plus, it's not like this New England palace is devoid of historic details, with intricately carved moldings, seven marble fireplaces, and that classic Georgian facade.
? Boston's original bastion of the rich, Beacon Hill, was always going to be somewhere on this list, especially when a townhouse fronting on the Public Garden is up for sale. This six-bed, six-bath restored home is capped with a new swimming pool, but retains historic detail like eight working fireplaces, a vaulted wine cellar, and "palatial double parlors." The asking price is a cool $15M.
? Now, back to the name dropping. This Back Bay limestone stunner has quite the history. It was built in 1905 according to plans by regional architectural notables Little & Browne and was once home to Pulitzer Prize-winning author Edwin O'Connor. Okay, so those aren't terribly big names, but this is a terribly large house. The facade measures 33.5 feet across and behind the limestone there are 11,100 square feet, ten bedrooms, 7.5 baths, and exquisite period detailing. All of this is within a block of the Public Garden and runs $13.5M.
? Finally, a pricey apartment for those wealthy folks not into the whole house deal. Situated in the park-front Mandarin Oriental hotel, this amenities-rich condo on the 11th floor boasts views of the Charles River and neighboring Cambridge, while on the inside providing three bedrooms, four bathrooms, two half-baths, and three fireplaces spread over 6,000 square feet. The hotel services and two deeded parking spaces round out this $12.5M offering.
· 306 Dartmouth St [Zillow]
· 15 Commonwealth [Zillow]
· 74 Beacon Street [Zillow]
· 10 Marlborough St [Zillow]
· 776 Boylston [Landvest]