The phrase “house of Gucci” may bring the book or film to mind, but in the exclusive residential heart of Rome there literally is a house constructed and still owned by Gucci family heirs. Intrigued? It’s for sale.
In the late 1940s, fashion magnate and one-time CEO Aldo Gucci, the eldest son of the iconic Italian brand’s founder, was looking for a spot to build a family home. He found one 10 minutes from the historic city center.
Completed in 1951, the villa continued as the site of holiday gatherings long after the children were grown. The home is surrounded by greenery in an established neighborhood historically filled with high net worth homeowners and embassies.
In addition to the name association and central location, the mogul-sized property stands out for another reason as well, according to listing agent Chiara Gennarelli of Building Heritage. “I can tell you, it’s truly rare to find something so big and well-kept inside Rome,” Gennarelli says. “Most of the houses are now fractioned into apartments.”
Beyond the gated entrance is a 1,200-square-meter main villa set on about 10,000 square meters of landscaped grounds—that’s nearly 13,000 square feet of living space on 2.5 acres.
Restored in the 1990s, the home’s facade remains in keeping with its original mix of English style and Tuscan accents, featuring bay windows, columns and decorative details. Views take in the surrounding gardens, the Roman skyline and the Altare Della Patria (or Altar of the Fatherland), a neoclassical national monument that symbolizes the center of ancient Rome.
The four-floor villa was designed with a garden-level kitchen, game/billiard room, laundry area and staff quarters. An elevator connects floors.
The main level―with multiple living rooms, a dining room, study and guest bathroom―centers on a shell-shaped wooden staircase. Parquet floors, crown molding and elegant fireplaces are among the details.
The primary suite is one floor up along with four other en suite bedrooms. At the top of the villa are a staircase that leads to a rooftop terrace and more bedrooms for a total 12 bedrooms, 12 full bathrooms and two half-baths throughout.
Gucci added a second 900-square-meter villa, also in keeping with the English style, to the site in the early 1960s for one of his sons. At nearly 9,700 square feet, the smaller three-level villa, in need of renovation, could serve as an office, guest house or rental. With separate access, it occupies about a third of the property along with a greenhouse and two outbuildings.
The main grounds include a swimming pool, changing rooms with bathrooms, garage and tool shed.
Priced at €15 million, or about US $15.9 million, the property is ready for its next dynasty.
“The ideal buyer,” Gennarelli says, “would be an international entrepreneur who loves green outdoor space, time spent with friends and nice dinners at home.”
Building Heritage is an exclusive member of Forbes Global Properties, a consumer marketplace and membership network of elite brokerages selling the world’s most luxurious homes.