This Back Bay Townhouse Commands $11.2 Million

When the place hit the market this week, it became one of the most expensive homes in the city.

By Madeline Bilis· 8/10/2017, 11:23 a.m.

Photo courtesy of Campion & Company Fine Homes Real Estate

It’s not every day a listing like this comes along. A time-honored townhouse on Back Bay’s beloved Beacon Street hit the market this week for the first time in over a decade. When it debuted with an asking price of $11.2 million, it joined the ranks with some of the most expensive homes in the city.

The 7,500-square-foot home at 344 Beacon was originally constructed for a shoe nail manufacturer named Daniel C. Knowlton and his wife, Mary Elizabeth (Dearborn) Knowlton. According to backbayhouses.org, it was built between 1880 and 1881 by architects Allen and Kenway, who designed more than a dozen other Romanesque townhouses in the neighborhood.

The facades of 346 and 344 Beacon Street, c. 1880-1886 / Photo via Boston Public Library/Creative Commons

More than a century later, the place still dazzles. Today, it boasts a wood-paneled library, an elevator, stained glass windows, an elegant dining room, a two-car garage, and a total of seven fireplaces. What really sets it apart, though, is the abundance of outdoor gathering spots. There are two decks that can be accessed from the sky-lighted rooftop mezzanine, not to mention a dreamy private garden off of the kitchen, complete with a fountain.

Of course, the home’s views of both the Charles and the skyline don’t hurt, either. Peek inside the rest of the five-bedroom townhouse, listed by Campion & Co., below.