The emir of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, a man with exceptional wealth and taste, is securing a heavenly abode to complement his $500 million superyacht Al Lusail. This is not a marble-clad palace or another floating mansion but Villa Certosa, the legendary estate on the Costa Smeralda. Soon, one of the world’s most powerful and wealthy figures may replace another in this iconic residence in a possible $600 million deal, reports the Italian daily La Nuova Sardegna.
The emir of Qatar is no stranger to splurging half a billion dollars on extraordinary indulgences like superyachts, so there is little reason to think he won’t do the same for this slice of paradise in Sardinia.
Aptly called the Palace of Wonders in Porto Rotondo, the estate overlooks the Gulf of Marinella and offers an astounding 4,500 square meters of living space. Palatial in every sense, it spans 126 rooms, bungalows, and a 120-hectare park. It was put up for sale two years ago by the children of former Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi.
The property houses fantastical features befitting its grand title. A mock volcano, at the flick of a switch, rumbles to life and sends faux lava cascading from its cone, reportedly causing such chaos once that the local fire brigade was called. Rounding out the grounds are a Greco-Roman amphitheater, five swimming pools, mirror-bright lakes, a golf course, a helipad, a football pitch, and a discreet sea-access cave that opens directly to the ocean. Some sources also point to a bunker, a growing necessity for billionaires who are turning their homes into fortresses.
A celebrity in its own right, Villa Certosa was long the talk of the town for its opulence. Over the decades, it underwent numerous lavish renovations, standing as the backdrop for VVIP meetings and hosting some of the most influential names in the world. With Berlusconi gone, his children are now determined to sell the home, an estate that deserves nothing less than a royal owner.
That makes Emir Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani a fitting candidate. A connoisseur of life’s finest luxuries, he leads one of the wealthiest families in the world, with a sovereign wealth fund worth an estimated $335 billion. The transaction is being handled by Sotheby’s International Realty, in partnership with Dubai-based Knight Castle Real Estate. According to reports, Al-Thani has long admired Sardinia’s scenic beauty, and owning a home in such an idyllic location feels only natural for royal tastes.
Adding weight to the speculation is the sighting of the emir’s superyacht off the coast of San Teodoro. During that visit, the 47-year-old leader reportedly made the famed Villa H2O in Puntaldia his temporary residence, a possible prelude to securing his very own Palace of Wonders on the island.
