Villa Aurora in the heart of Rome is the subject of a veritable soap opera, as is the case with quite a few historically important properties auctioned at foreclosure auctions in Italy.
The villa has been owned by the same family since 1621. The last owner was Prince Nicolò Boncompagni Ludovisi, who died in 2018. In his will, he gave his wife the right to continue living in the villa until her death. In case the villa was sold, the proceeds would be divided between her and her three stepsons. However, the sons disputed the inheritance and wanted the villa to be sold immediately and their stepmother to leave the property.
Partly because of overdue maintenance (a wall collapsed and ended up on the public road), and the fact that the princess would allow tours without a licence, the judge ruled in favour of the sons and ordered the sale of the villa.
Because of the dispute, and the princess“ refusal to cooperate in the sale, the villa will not be sold by a reputable auction house such as Christie's or Sotheby's, but through a ”vulgar" foreclosure auction, like all properties on this site.
Especially noteworthy for a villa valued at €471 million. This enormous value is primarily due to the only known ceiling painting in the world by the famous artist Caravaggio, which alone represents a value of €310 million.
In 1597, Caravaggio was commissioned by the previous owner, Cardinal Francesco Maria del Monte, to decorate a small room on the first floor. Other valuable artworks in the villa include a sculpture by Michelangelo, a large ceiling fresco by Guercino, and a staircase created by Carlo Maderno, one of the architects of St. Peter's Basilica in the Vatican.
Should you be able to appreciate these art treasures, it is almost time to make your move. The villa will go under the hammer again in April, with a starting price of “only” 108 million euros. Keep in mind, however, that the buyer is committed to carrying out renovations of around 10 million euros. There is also a catch. The Italian state has the right to acquire the villa by matching the bid of the winning bidder, due to the property's important cultural value. And that might just happen in this case.