Two centuries after Napoleon’s younger sister called it home, a historic villa outside Lucca, Italy is back on the market — an exceedingly rare chance to own a property entwined with the Bonaparte family’s Tuscan legacy.
Mansion Global first reported on the offering.
Known today as Villa Orsucci, the estate was acquired in 1836 by Caroline Bonaparte, who through her marriage to French general Joachim Murat became queen consort of Naples.
Her reign, from 1808 to 1815, was short-lived, but her connection to Tuscany left a lasting mark.
A historic Tuscan villa once owned by Caroline Bonaparte, Napoleon’s younger sister and former queen consort of Naples, is on the market in Lucca, Italy with offers starting at about $11.7 million and expected to reach between $17 million and $23 million. Lionard Luxury Real Estate
Originally built in the 16th century, the 26,000-square-foot residence was transformed in the early 1700s by silk merchant Coriolano Orsucci. Lionard Luxury Real Estate
Bonaparte acquired the villa in 1836, cementing its royal pedigree. Lionard Luxury Real Estate
The villa, which dates to the 16th century, was extensively reimagined in the early 1700s when silk merchant Coriolano Orsucci hired Italian Baroque architect Filippo Juvarra to expand and modernize the home.
The result was a grand residence that today spans more than 26,000 square feet, with three principal floors, an attic, a basement, and interiors marked by elaborate stucco work and monumental canvases by Pier Dandini.
Orsucci hired Baroque architect Filippo Juvarra for its redesign. Lionard Luxury Real Estate
Equestrian portrait of Napoleon I, 1810, by Joseph Chabord (1786-1848), oil on canvas. De Agostini via Getty Images
Portrait of Caroline Bonaparte (1782-1839), Princesse Française, Grand Duchess of Berg and Cleves, Queen Consort of Naples. Getty Images
Among the highlights is the double-height central salon — considered the largest of its kind in Lucca’s villas — flanked by reception halls furnished in period style, a game room, a dining space and the so-called “Red Room,” where silk walls conceal a modern heating system painted to blend invisibly into the décor.
“Every single steel element was custom-painted to match the exact color code of the precious silk brocade on the walls,” according to Lionard Luxury Real Estate, which holds the listing.
Outside, the 14.8-acre grounds mix formal parkland, olive groves and meadows.
The interiors preserve elaborate stuccos, two monumental Pier Dandini canvases and 18th-century furnishings. Lionard Luxury Real Estate
Another view of the living space. Lionard Luxury Real Estate
The breakfast room. Lionard Luxury Real Estate
The formal dining room. Lionard Luxury Real Estate
Boxwood hedges, terracotta statuary and centuries-old plantings line gravel paths.
A small 18th-century church still retains its original design, while a 2,150-square-foot lemon house shelters more than 100 citrus trees each winter and doubles as an event venue.
Two swimming pools are operational, a third awaits restoration and a heliport provides quick access from abroad.
The estate also includes a five-bedroom annex, each room with its own bath, though the number of bedrooms inside the main villa was not disclosed.
The famed “red room” with silk-covered walls. Lionard Luxury Real Estate
Another view of the red room. Lionard Luxury Real Estate
A bedroom. Lionard Luxury Real Estate
The estate also includes a restored five-bedroom annex. Lionard Luxury Real Estate
An old stone wash house on the property could be converted into additional accommodations.
The asking price is not publicly listed, though Lionard’s site suggests bids starting above $11.7 million, with expectations closer to $17 million to $23 million.
For Lionard founder and CEO Dimitri Corti, the sale represents more than another trophy in Tuscany’s real estate market.
“The historic villas of Lucca represent a truly unique heritage in the world,” he told Mansion Global.
One of two expansive pools. Lionard Luxury Real Estate
The outdoor grounds. Lionard Luxury Real Estate
The long winding driveway surrounded by trees. Lionard Luxury Real Estate
The estate also includes an 18th-century church, a lemon house, olive groves, landscaped parkland with centuries-old statues and hedges. Lionard Luxury Real Estate
“We aren’t talking about a villa; we’re talking about a ‘trophy asset.’ The global market is no longer just looking for luxury; it’s looking for unique pieces of history, and Villa Orsucci is exactly that. The buyer isn’t just acquiring walls and frescoes; they are taking ownership of the last available chapter of a legend,” Corti told The Post in a statement.
“It’s an investment in an eternal brand: Bonaparte. Its perfect integration of modern comfort and absolute historical fidelity makes it an asset that is not only desirable but extremely intelligent — destined to become unattainable.”
Villa Orsucci is the only one of three Bonaparte-linked estates in the Lucca area available to purchase. Elisa Bonaparte’s Villa Reale di Marlia and Pauline Bonaparte’s Villa Paolina remain firmly in private hands.
“Three sisters, three icons, three unofficial queens of Tuscany,” Lionard’s promotional materials note. “Today, owning one is nearly impossible … a legendary opportunity.”
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