Architecture and Design -> The Most Expensive Houses in the World -> Villa Leopold

Villa Leopold is situated on the French Riviera. This villa on the French Riviera was built in 1902 by the Belgian King Leopold II. They say that the house belonged to many famous people including Bill Gates, but in fact the owner was a banker billionaire of Lebanese-Israeli origin, Edmond Safra. Now the house belongs to his widow, Lily.

History

The beautiful house on the French Riviera got its name thanks to Belgium's King Leopold II, who created this area as a summer palace. They say that the king wanted to give it to his mistress. But Leopold died, and he did not manage to realize his desire and to see it. The villa was built in 1931, the new owner of the area was Kodmen Ogden. Maybe the house could not have been called a royal palace , still, there was a sense of style and luxury in the house. The garden is taken care of by 50 gardeners. Its owners changed several times. Here we can name Gianni Agnelli - the famous Italian industrialist, founder of the auto company "Fiat". Later the house was sold to Edmond Safra. The banker lived there longer than any other owners. There was a custom with the banker. When Leopold Villa was in blossom, the billionaire liked to organize a party and invite celebrities. The American president Ronald Reagan and his wife, singer Frank Sinatra stayed and relaxed in this house.

Description

The mansion has an area of 80 thousand square meters, furnished with antique period furniture, it is considered one of the most striking buildings in the world. The property consists of 19 bedrooms, multiple kitchens, dining rooms and living rooms, equipped with its own cinema, a bowling alley, athletic fields. On the estate there are several guest houses and several swimming pools. In December 1999, Safra died tragically in a fire in Monaco. Some time ago, the widow of the banker decided to sell the villa. When Mme Safra announced price ,500 million Euros, the estate agents gasped. All were convinced that was an unrealistic price. But the buyer was still found. After the Russian billionaire Mikhail Prokhorov lost a deposit of around 40 million Euros, refusing the purchase of "Villa Leopold", the interest to this property has increased even more.

Others The Most Expensive Houses in the World .

Maps of Villa Leopold