Once upon a time, kings and queens lived in palaces, and the nobility and wealthy tried to emulate their luxury. Many years have passed since then, land has become more expensive, palaces have fallen out of fashion (and by today's standards, they are uncomfortable to live in), but the desire to stand out remains.
What kind of buildings do the rich and famous build, and where do they prefer to live? Let's take a look at the top 10 most expensive homes in the world – both those currently inhabited and those for sale.
10. Fairfield Pond, USA – Price: $$249,000,000
Topping the list of the world's most expensive homes, priced from $249 million, is a gigantic palace spanning nearly half a hectare. It's located on Long Island, New York. While the estate ranks a modest 19th among the largest homes in the United States, its location makes it one of the most expensive – space is scarce in New York City, and that makes it expensive.
Fair Field is owned by Ira Rennert. No, not a girl named Irochka, but a respectable gentleman born in 1934. At 65, he decided to buy some land and build a mansion. Although neighbors protested fiercely, the industrial magnate finally got his way (albeit on a smaller scale than he originally planned). The result is a gigantic 29-bedroom, 39-bath home on Long Island, complete with its own small power plant, three swimming pools, a greenhouse, a 164-seat home theater, and a synagogue. Owning it isn't cheap, however—Rennert pays over $40,000 in taxes each month.
9. Molokai Ranch, USA – $260,000,000
If a wealthy person suffers from misanthropy and doesn't want to see people (except for the staff, of course), they retreat to places like a ranch on the island of Molokai, Haiti. It's made for millionaires who prefer vast, uncrowded spaces to the hustle and bustle of the city. It occupies more than a third of the island's surface, covering 22.5 hectares. These hectares include a nearly 32-kilometer coastline, white, sun-drenched beaches overlooking colorful reefs, tropical forests, rocky cliffs, and pastures—among other amenities, the estate boasts two golf courses, a hotel, and an entire working ranch measuring half an acre.
The infamous Mark Zuckerberg himself considered buying the ranch, but ultimately decided to settle on another Hawaiian island – Kauaʻu.
8. Penthouse at the top of the Odeon skyscraper, Monaco – $330 000 000
In 2014, the penthouse went on sale, immediately attracting attention – both for its eye-watering price, stunning views, and original architectural design. The "modest" apartment is located at the top of the Odeon skyscraper, occupying the top five floors; its floor area is 3,300 square meters, with five bedrooms and five bathrooms.
The designers decided not to sacrifice the view, so the apartment's walls on every floor are lined with windows. Standing in the center of the space, you can literally survey the surroundings. But the home's most impressive feature is the water slide, which allows guests to plunge straight from the dance floor into a huge outdoor pool, offering stunning views of the Mediterranean Sea.
7. Chartwell Estate, USA – $350,000,000
To this day, the Chartwell estate confidently holds the crown among the most expensive homes in the United States. It is truly a mansion, designed by architect Sumner Spaulding, inspired by the finest examples of 18th-century French architecture. The white and gray limestone-clad house of classical proportions rises amidst a manicured park with gazebos, paths, fountains, tennis courts, a giant swimming pool, and parking for 40 cars.
The house was used as a filming location for the popular 1960s TV show The Beverly Hillbillies. It was later purchased by the head of Univision, who is, in fact, responsible for the estate's excellent state of preservation – he spent several million dollars restoring and modernizing Chartwell.
6. Cedar Villa, France – $418,000,000
Real estate on the Côte d'Azur has long been a dream for the wealthy from all over the world. But it wasn't always so. The Cedar Villa, located on the coast of Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat, began its life in the early 19th century as a simple working olive oil farm. Three-hundred-year-old olive trees can still be seen on the grounds. Now, in place of an oil press, the courtyard is adorned with a bronze statue of the goddess Athena, and winding paths shaded by palms and cedars lead to the imposing citadel.
Inside, it's brimming with candelabras, 19th-century portraits (I wonder if there are any farm workers there?), and everything else that the average person would associate with the Beast's castle from a Disney cartoon. Besides the Empire-style armchairs, the palace also boasts a library boasting a botanical codex from 1640. Incidentally, the furniture and household items are not included in the sale price; they can be purchased separately, if desired.
5. Bubble Palace, France – $418 000 000
And from the classics, we move on to cartoons—yes, inspiration for the world's most expensive homes was drawn from a variety of sources. The Bubble Palace is most reminiscent of the quasi-primitive dwelling of the Flintstones from the children's animated film of the same name. Imagine a cheerful cluster of spherical structures with the same round windows, doors, and other architectural details. Don't they look very much like bubbles? The buildings' pleasant, muted terracotta color and elegant white trim somewhat offset the riot of form.
The house, approximately 1,200 square meters in size, has everything even the most discerning wealthy individual could need, including a swimming pool and a 500-seat outdoor amphitheater. It was here that the Dior fashion show was held and James Bond's 40th birthday celebration was celebrated.
4. Middle Gap Road, 24, Hong Kong – $446 000 000
Hong Kong is a densely populated area, and land there is expensive. In terms of price per square meter, the city-state ranks second, behind only Monaco. It's no surprise that a large house perched atop a picturesque mountain ranked fourth on the list of most expensive properties.
Although, compared to the examples featured in the ranking, it looks, frankly, unassuming – it has only two floors, four bedrooms, and four bathrooms. The backyard features a swimming pool, hidden from prying eyes by dense trees.
3. Villa Leopolda, France – $750,000,000
This vast estate is located near Villefranche-sur-Mer, a town on the French Riviera. It covers just over seven hectares and houses a palace lined with rare marble, nineteen bedrooms, fireplaces, swimming pools, a cinema, and a bowling alley. The term "palace" is no accident; the estate was once owned by King Leopold II of Belgium, under whose wise rule the Congo's population was halved, while rubber production increased two hundredfold. Now the most expensive villa in the world belongs to Lily Safra, a Brazilian millionairess, who inherited it from her late husband.
Interestingly, oligarch Mikhail Porokhov dreamed of owning the villa, even opening negotiations with Lily, but something went wrong. Prokhorov himself says the 2008 crisis influenced him. Evil tongues, however, claim Prokhorov was mortally offended by the French government. There, police arrested him for smuggling women of low social responsibility to Courchevel. The millionaire insisted they were simply beautiful women who had voluntarily decided to accompany him. Be that as it may, after an advance payment had already been made, Prokhorov backed out of the deal. Safra, however, promised to use the advance for various charitable causes.
2. Antilia, India – $1 000 000 000
The second most expensive residential building in the world is an entire tower, towering over mere mortals in southern Mumbai. Its owner is India's richest man, Mukesh Ambani. The tower boasts 27 floors, and the architects spared no expense when it comes to ceiling height—a similarly tall building with standard ceilings would reach sixty stories. 600 people are required to operate the building's services and ensure the comfort of the billionaire and his family. The tower-palace boasts three helipads, a gigantic parking lot for over 160 cars, and an on-site car service center. Mukesh doesn't neglect culture either—the building boasts a theater, ballroom, spa, and swimming pools.
Not all Indians welcomed the creation of this gigantic monument to wealth. In a country home to Asia's largest slums, where 42% children under five are underweight, erecting such a tower isn't the smartest move. Some have already hinted that this is how revolutions happen.
1. Buckingham Palace, England – $1 550 000 000
And Buckingham Palace, the world's most expensive home at $1.55 billion, sits comfortably at the top of the list. The photo clearly shows both the ancient and beautiful building itself and the crowds of tourists who flock to it every day.
True, this is from the front—the palace truly embodies the finest traditions of classicism. Its façade pleases the eye with its noble proportions. But from the rear, where the royal owners ordered the addition of various necessary and useful structures, the view is far less appealing. It's no wonder that the British newspaper The Guardian called it one of the ugliest buildings in the world; apparently, the journalists took the time to walk around the house.
Since 1761, Buckingham Palace has been the exclusive property of the British royal family. It is currently the official residence of Queen Elizabeth II.