The World's Most Expensive Mansions Will Blow Your Mind
The World's Most Expensive Mansions range from $100 million to over $1 billion. So, who's actually buying these ridiculously-appointed pads? Your sultans, your princes, and some regular old-fashioned tycoons. Some of these may even belong to your favorite celeb couples...
Check out these stunning pics of 40 of the most outrageously expensive mansions in the world. It will either depress the heck out of you because your digs look nothing like them or, it may inspire you to work harder to achieve your dreams. Maybe you could one day be the owner of a crazy manse with several butlers, 12 bathrooms, and an infinity pool!
This article by Monica D. originally appeared on The Daily Toast and is republished with permission.
Antilia House
Businessman, Mukesh Ambani designed the $2 billion mansion to house him and his family and his many, many amenities. Six floors are devoted to parking ... alone. Throw in some ballrooms, a helipad, dance studio, personal auto body repair floor and a permanent staff of 600 and you're starting to get a sense of the luxury that the Antilia offers.
Palace of Versailles
The palatial grounds of Versailles cover over 8,000,000 square feet and it all could be yours for $50 billion. Sound steep? Well you get beautiful gardens, billions in priceless art and the bragging rights of owning the former home of King Louis XIV aka the 'Sun God.'
Forbidden City
Forbidden City is no longer used as a residence but from 1420 to 1912 it sure was. Forbidden City is a palatial compound made up of 980 buildings and is over 728,000 square feet. It's not a UNESCO World Heritage Site and would cost about $69.9 billion if someone was feeling very bold.
Ak Saray Palace
The Turkish Presidential Palace was completed in 2014 and is four times the size of Versailles. Dubbed Ak Saray 9The White House) it has been a controversial pet project of President Erdogan. The building cost was double the estimated $230 million, meaning it ended up costing over $600 million.
Winter Palace
Winter Palace in Saint Petersburg, Russia was the official residence of the Russian monarchy from 1732 to 1917 (and if your world history stacks up, you'll remember things didn't go so well for the royals). However, things are good now! And the Palace can be yours for $6.4 billion.
Imperial Palace Tokyo
The Imperial Palace is home to Emperor Akihito and, like many of the state homes on this list, has gorgeous natural views. Not only is the palace large, its location couldn't be more desirable. The price is steep though, $12.25 billion to be exact.
Rutland Gate Mansion
Rutland Gate Mansion is a private residence in the elite Hyde Park neighborhood of London. This piece of real estate is so precious, it was once owned by Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Sultan bin Abdulaziz al Saud and a Lebanese prime minister. It was listed for $300 million in 2015.
17 Kensington Palace Gardens
Kensington Gardens is intended for the super elite and the super elite only. Thus, when Russian tycoon Roman Abromovich was in the market for something pretty, he looked no further than London's finest "hood." He shelled out $140 million to live on "Billionaire's Row."
7 Upper Phillimore Gardens
Yes, this property is owned by the very rich businesswoman Olena Pinchuk. Her father was Ukraine's second president but she's not your average privileged Londonite. She's devoted much of her life fighting for a cure for AIDS. She often hosts her pal Elton John in the $128 million London mansion.
Las Varas Ranch
Yet another majestic ranch on the list. This time it's las Varas, located in Goleta, California, just outside of Santa Barbara. The home is not as sizable as some of the others on this list, but it comes with 2 miles of private beachfront. Not bad for $104 million.
Great Island Connecticut
This is one of those mansions that was built to get away from it all. You're on an island in rural Connecticut with horses, but if you really HAD to get to Manhattan, it would be an hour. (I imagine via personal helicopter). Price is $175 million.
Holmby Hills Villa
Owned by BCBG designer, Max Azria, this $88 million super-stylish mansion is the epitome of decadence. Designed in the 1930s by architect Paul Williams, it sits squarely in what folks in the L.A. real estate game call the "Platinum Triangle" (i.e. zip code goals).
Mount Nicholson Apartment
Though I had never heard of Mount Nicholson, Hong Kong before compiling this list, I know I'll be hearing much more about it from now on. This state-of-the-art home is part of the larger Mount Nicholson development which people are gobbling up properties on like hot cakes. This one fetched $149 million.