London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Wednesday, Jul 23, 2025

One of the most expensive properties for sale in ‘auction of the century’

One of the most expensive properties for sale in ‘auction of the century’

Casino dell’Aurora in the Italian capital is up for auction with an estimated value of €471 million

Rome’s Casino di Villa Boncompagni Ludovisi, also known as Villa Aurora, home to the world’s only ceiling mural painted by Caravaggio, goes under the hammer on Tuesday in the “auction of the century.”

The 2,800-square-meter (30,000 square feet) property located near Via Veneto is one of the most expensive homes ever put on the market. Its value is estimated at €471 million ($540 million), with a starting bid of €353 million. Much of its worth is attributed to its murals by Italian Baroque painters Caravaggio and Guercino, as well as other cultural assets.

The main entrance of the Casino dell'Aurora, also known as Villa Ludovisi, in Rome, Tuesday, Jan. 18, 2022.


Several rooms are frescoed by Guercino, including one featuring Aurora, the Roman goddess of dawn. The building’s name stems from this work, as it decorates the main reception hall.

Aurora by Guercino


The villa’s most precious asset is Caravaggio’s mural depicting Jupiter, Neptune, and Pluto. Dating back to 1597 and rediscovered in 1968, it is the only known ceiling mural painted by the famous artist. This alone is valued at an estimated €310 million.

Jupiter, Neptune and Pluto by Caravaggio


Apart from precious frescoes, Casino dell’Aurora has a history of famous visitors over the centuries, such as the American-British author Henry James and Russian composer Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky.

The Casino dell’Aurora was built in 1570 and has belonged to the Ludovisi family since the early 1600s. After the death of its last owner, Prince Nicolo Boncompagni Ludovisi, in 2018, it became the subject of a prolonged inheritance dispute between three sons from his first marriage and his third wife, the American-born Princess Rita Jenrette Boncompagni Ludovisi. The latter has spent most of the last 20 years renovating the property.

Princess Rita Boncompagni Ludovisi points outside a window during an interview with the Associated Press inside the Casino dell'Aurora, also known as Villa Ludovisi, in Rome, Tuesday, Jan. 18, 2022.


The courts finally ruled that the property be put up for auction. Whoever purchases the villa, which is protected by Italian cultural heritage laws, will be obliged to spend a further €11 million on restoration.

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
US Treasury Secretary Calls for Institutional Review of Federal Reserve Amid AI‑Driven Growth Expectations
UK Government Considers Dropping Demand for Apple Encryption Backdoor
Severe Flooding in South Korea Claims Lives Amid Ongoing Rescue Operations
Japanese Man Discovers Family Connection Through DNA Testing After Decades of Separation
Russia Signals Openness to Ukraine Peace Talks Amid Escalating Drone Warfare
Switzerland Implements Ban on Mammography Screening
Japanese Prime Minister Vows to Stay After Coalition Loses Upper House Majority
Pogacar Extends Dominance with Stage Fifteen Triumph at Tour de France
CEO Resigns Amid Controversy Over Relationship with HR Executive
Man Dies After Being Pulled Into MRI Machine Due to Metal Chain in New York Clinic
NVIDIA Achieves $4 Trillion Valuation Amid AI Demand
US Revokes Visas of Brazilian Corrupted Judges Amid Fake Bolsonaro Investigation
U.S. Congress Approves Rescissions Act Cutting Federal Funding for NPR and PBS
North Korea Restricts Foreign Tourist Access to New Seaside Resort
Brazil's Supreme Court Imposes Radical Restrictions on Former President Bolsonaro
Centrist Criticism of von der Leyen Resurfaces as she Survives EU Confidence Vote
Judge Criticizes DOJ Over Secrecy in Dropping Charges Against Gang Leader
Apple Closes $16.5 Billion Tax Dispute With Ireland
Von der Leyen Faces Setback Over €2 Trillion EU Budget Proposal
UK and Germany Collaborate on Global Military Equipment Sales
Trump Plans Over 10% Tariffs on African and Caribbean Nations
Flying Taxi CEO Reclaims Billionaire Status After Stock Surge
Epstein Files Deepen Republican Party Divide
Zuckerberg Faces $8 Billion Privacy Lawsuit From Meta Shareholders
FIFA Pressured to Rethink World Cup Calendar Due to Climate Change
SpaceX Nears $400 Billion Valuation With New Share Sale
Microsoft, US Lab to Use AI for Faster Nuclear Plant Licensing
Trump Walks Back Talk of Firing Fed Chair Jerome Powell
Zelensky Reshuffles Cabinet to Win Support at Home and in Washington
"Can You Hit Moscow?" Trump Asked Zelensky To Make Putin "Feel The Pain"
Irish Tech Worker Detained 100 days by US Authorities for Overstaying Visa
Dimon Warns on Fed Independence as Trump Administration Eyes Powell’s Succession
Church of England Removes 1991 Sexuality Guidelines from Clergy Selection
Superman Franchise Achieves Success with Latest Release
Hungary's Viktor Orban Rejects Agreements on Illegal Migration
Jeff Bezos Considers Purchasing Condé Nast as a Wedding Gift
Ghislaine Maxwell Says She’s Ready to Testify Before Congress on Epstein’s Criminal Empire
Bal des Pompiers: A Celebration of Community and Firefighter Culture in France
FBI Chief Kash Patel Denies Resignation Speculations Amid Epstein List Controversy
Air India Pilot’s Mental Health Records Under Scrutiny
Google Secures Windsurf AI Coding Team in $2.4 Billion Licence Deal
Jamie Dimon Warns Europe Is Losing Global Competitiveness and Flags Market Complacency
South African Police Minister Suspended Amid Organised Crime Allegations
Nvidia CEO Claims Chinese Military Reluctance to Use US AI Technology
Hong Kong Advances Digital Asset Strategy to Address Economic Challenges
Australia Rules Out Pre‑commitment of Troops, Reinforces Defence Posture Amid US‑China Tensions
Martha Wells Says Humanity Still Far from True Artificial Intelligence
Nvidia Becomes World’s First Four‑Trillion‑Dollar Company Amid AI Boom
U.S. Resumes Deportations to Third Countries After Supreme Court Ruling
Excavation Begins at Site of Mass Grave for Children at Former Irish Institution
×