Non-PRO English to Swedish Art/Literary Poetry & Literature Novel translation

The house was grand. Set on top of a gradual rise the stucco and sandstone structure faced southward toward the sea.

I am working on a novel translation. "Gradual rise" is giving me some problems. The author also uses gradual slope in one other place. He means hills that do not have steep slopes. Des anyone have a suggestion for how to describe this in Swedish?