Casino dell’Aurora di Villa Ludovisi Boncompagni otherwise known as Villa Aurora, is up for sale at a record price for the most expensive home ever sold. Built in 1570, the 30,000-square-foot, 16th-century villa has been in the Boncompagni-Ludovisi family for more than 400 years and has never been open to the public. It has a rich history of countless works of art including the world’s only ceiling mural painted by Caravaggio. When it went up for auction on January 19, 2022 for $547 million dollars, it was expected to surpass even this heady figure, but alas, it didn’t attract any buyers, so you’re still in time and maybe even get it a bargain price. The price was dropped to just 533 million, with an opening bid at 320m.
But who is selling it now, you may ask? Texas-born Rita Jenrette, wife of a disgraced congressman, posed for Playboy in the 1980’s and caused a scandal. However, finding a new vocation as a New York real estate broker, she eventually married into Italian nobility and became an Italian Principessa. She’s now 72 years old and is looking to downsize, so here is your chance. Any takers?
Not surprisingly, the principessa says: “I think my future is going to be good”.
