A kingly abode is on sale for a princely amount of $452 million, making it the most expensive private home in the world. For nearly half a billion dollars, one becomes the owner of the Château d’Armainvilliers, a stunning and spectacular mansion on the outskirts of Paris. Yes, it is an eye-watering sum, but the abode, unlike most others, comes with a cool 100 rooms and offers 2,500 square meters of living space, all spread across about 2,471 acres of land. And did we mention it has its own private lake?
The palatial home was earlier owned by the Rothschild banking empire in the late 19th century. It then went into the affluent hands of King Hassan II of Morocco in the 1980s. It is during his ownership that the beautiful Château d’Armainvilliers got itself a hammam spa, a beauty and hairdressing salon, and a fully-equipped medical and dental facility. The Moroccan King added touches like Moroccan mosaics, striking wall tiles, and a stable that could fit at least 50 horses.
It didn’t end there—a basement level comprising tunnels, kitchens, cold rooms, storage spaces, and staff quarters was added before selling the property for $215 million to a wealthy Middle Eastern buyer in 2008, who never utilized it and has now put it back for sale. The owner told Paris Match magazine: ‘It is the most expensive castle in France and perhaps in the world. The price of €425 million is justified by the property itself but also by the 1,000-hectare land which offers numerous possibilities. An investor could build thousands of apartments there if he wanted.’
Contributing to the grandeur and opulence of this extravagant abode are three fancy floors with three elevators, five salons, and a whopping 17 themed bedroom suites. The state-of-the-art kitchen facilities are impressive, as are the housing facilities for staff members and 36 additional parkland buildings. A true marvel of architecture, history, culture, and opulence.
