Wow! These Are The 40 Biggest Houses In The World
For most, a house with a couple of bedrooms and bathrooms is enough. Some of the richest people in the world, however, need thousands of square feet to separate themselves from their family members. The biggest houses in the world are more than just dwellings. They’re castles, palaces and mansions that require a map if you don’t want to get lost and forgotten.
Here’s a list of the biggest houses in the world.
40.) Hala Ranch
Lazy Penguins
56,000 Square Feet
Location: Aspen, Colorado, United States
Saudi Prince Bandar bin Sultan sold his Hala Ranch for $49 million to John Paulson, a hedge fund manager. It sits on 95 acres of land in the Aspen, Colorado area. In 2012, it was listed at $135 million, so one has to wonder how Paulson managed to get the keys to the home for much less.
The Hala House is bigger than the White House, with its 15 bedrooms and 27 bathrooms. There are a ton of amenities for the residents and their guests to enjoy such as reflection pools, fishing ponds, and sculpture gardens. There’s also gas pumps, a car wash, and mechanic shops to take care of all of Paulson’s vehicles. Outside the home are the tennis court, racquetball court, and heated horse stables. On top of that, the home has its own sewer treatment plant.
39.) Palazzo di Amore
Curbed LA
53,000 Square Feet
Location: Beverly Hills, California, United States
The Palazzo di Amore is a Mediterranean-style villa that tops 53,000 square feet of space, though 15,000 of that is an entertainment complex containing a ballroom with a revolving dance floor. It has 12 bedrooms, 23 bathrooms, a bowling alley, a theater, tennis courts, swimming pools, reflecting pools, waterfalls and a garage that can comfortably fit 27 cars.
All told, the property can accommodate parties for up to 1,000 people, who can spend their time meandering the gardens and vineyards where the property produces its own wine, or walk over floating glass walkways hovering above pools lined with mature olive trees.
38.) Penthouse at the Tour Odéon
The Pinnacle List
35,500 Square Feet
Location: Monaco, France
The opulent and shiny 49-story Tour Odéon building in Monaco hasn’t even opened its doors, and already it’s penthouse has been called the most expensive in the world. The 35,500-square-foot apartment is expected to sell for almost $400 million, according to CNNMoney.
The 560-foot skyscraper will be the second-tallest building on the Mediterranean skyline once it’s complete. The penthouse will feature a 360-degree view of the water and access to a circular rooftop infinity pool with a water slide.
37.) Kensington Palace Gardens
The Royal Parks
55,000 Square Feet
Location: London, United Kingdom
Indian steel tycoon Lakshmi Mittal calls this Kensington Palace Gardens home his “Taj Mittal.” He bought it for $89.4 million from English business magnate Bernie Eccclestone in 2004. The estate’s nickname is only sort of a joke: Mittal renovated it with marble that was sourced from the same quarry as the actual Taj Mahal.
The property is on the tree-lined “Billionaires’ Row,” where other highly affluent people like Roman Abramovich and Leonard Blavatnik also own property. It has 55,000 square feet of space, 12 bedrooms, a Turkish bath, swimming pool, picture gallery and ballroom.
36.) 15 Central Park West
10,674 Square Feet
Location: New York City, New York, United States
According to Michael Gross, author of the book “House of Outrageous Fortune: Fifteen Central Park West, the World’s Most Powerful Address,” this high-end Manhattan building is known as “Limestone Jesus.” That’s probably because it’s full of the city’s most affluent and powerful residents, including hedge fund boss Daniel Loeb.
He bought the 10,674-square-foot penthouse at the top of the high-rise for $45 million in 2008. In 2012, rumors began spreading that Loeb was trying to sell the property for $100 million, but he has yet to do so.
35.) Beverly House
HGTV
50,000 Square Feet
Location: Beverly Hills, California, United States
Renters can pay $600,000 per month to get free rein of the lux property. It sits on six flat acres of land and includes a slew of smaller homes in addition to the Italian- and Spanish-style, H-shaped main house.
That space features a 50-foot entry hall, intricately carved ceilings, a large library, wrap-around balcony, billiard room, family room with an outer terrace that can seat 400 people, an art deco night club, wine cellar, two projection rooms and spa facilities.
34.) Oheka Castle
Oheka
109,000 Square Feet
Location: Huntington, New York, United States
According to researchers, OHEKA is the one of the most prestigious wedding and event venues in the world. The Castle boasts; 32 luxurious guest rooms and suites where guests can sleep like royalty, Historic Mansion Tours of the Estate and Gardens, and the OHEKA Bar & Restaurant offering patrons a unique culinary experience.
National Register of Historic Places says that the castle is devoted to establishing an experience for guests to appreciate historic architecture, wine and dine in European ambience, enjoy a favored book in the stately library, relax with an in-room massage one of the Castle’s guestrooms, stroll the Formal Gardens
33.) Mar-a-Lago
Getty Images
110,000 Square Feet
Location: Palm Beach, Florida, United States
The 128-room mansion in Palm Beach was built by cereal heiress Marjorie Merriweather Post in 1927. Post willed the 20-acre estate to the U.S. government upon her death in 1973, but President Jimmy Carter returned it to the Post heirs because of prohibitively expensive maintenance costs.
Trump purchased it for $5 million in 1985 and turned it into a private club 10 years later. Now he calls it the “Winter White House.”
32.) Pritzker Estate
Getty Images
53,000 Square Feet
Location: Los Angeles, California, United States
The main house has a two-level basement, plus a detached rec room, guesthouse, and pool. The estate comes with eight bedrooms, 11 bathrooms, a two-story library, a long limestone galleria, a pool and spa, an outdoor kitchen, and tennis court, on 1.25 acres.
The Pritzkers also built a screening room in the basement.
31.) Nottoway Plantation
53,000 Square Feet
Location: White Castle, Louisiana, United States
Experts say that the Nottoway Plantation House is one of the largest antebellum plantation houses in the south. The house has 64 rooms, 7 staircases, and 5 galleries. Located between Baton Rouge and New Orleans, Louisiana, the massive white columns and grand balconies of this enormous
Daily Mansion tours, either with a costumed tour guide or an individual audio tour, are just the beginning of what you will find here. Nottoway also offers deluxe rooms for overnight guests, fabulous dining, luxury amenities, and multiple ballrooms and meeting facilities which have been the settings for countless special events and spectacular weddings.
30.) Carolands Chateau
Carolands
46,650 Square Feet
Location: Hillsborough, California, United States
French architect Ernest Sanson designed the 98-room estate on its 554-acre site. A renowned local architect Willis Polk acted as the construction supervisor. French landscape architect Achilles Duchene designed the gardens, which originally included a tea house and swimming pool.
Over the years, the property was bought and sold numerous times, and much of the original property was subdivided. The house was allowed to deteriorate, and although it was often threatened with demolition, the historic glory of the magnificent structure remained.
29.) Toprak Mansion
Alamy
30,000 Square Feet
Location: London, United Kingdom
A palatial home complete with a Turkish bath for 20 people has been sold for $65 million, breaking the record for the most expensive new-build house in Britain, which was recently set by a nearby property. Tycoon buys Soho House socialite club Toprak Mansion in north London boasts seven bedrooms, four kitchens and an 80 foot dining room containing a 40 foot table.
It also has a green copper roof, Grecian-style pillars, a grand double staircase, a glass lift, a swimming pool with a glass bridge and a two-acre garden. The new owner, who has not been identified, is reported to be planning to spend $40 million on a makeover by an Italian designer to create a beauty salon, spa, helipad, cinema and squash court.
28.) The White House
Joyce N. Boghosian
55,000 Square Feet
Location: Washington DC, United States
There are 132 rooms, 35 bathrooms, and 6 levels in the Residence. There are also 412 doors, 147 windows, 28 fireplaces, 8 staircases, and 3 elevators. The White House kitchen is able to serve dinner to as many as 140 guests and hors d’oeuvres to more than 1,000.
The White House requires 570 gallons of paint to cover its outside surface. Prevois presidents refer to the White House as the “President’s Palace,” the “President’s House,” and the “Executive Mansion.” President Theodore Roosevelt officially gave the White House its current name in 1901.
27.) The Manor
Hotel Room Search
56,500 Square Feet
Location: Los Angeles, California, United States
The building is located on 47 acres of land and has seven bedrooms. Prince Charles of Wales occupied one of those rooms on his visit. The home includes a grand double staircase that was a replicate to the staircase in the classic Gone with the Wind movie.
When Aaron Spelling died, Candy Spelling decided to sell the mansion to the daughter of Formula One CEO Bernie Ecclestone, Petra. It was purchased for $85 million, and after more than $20 million in renovations, she wants to sell it for $150 million.
26.) La Reverie
Davis General Contracting
84,626 Square Feet
Location: Palm Beach, Florida, United States
Some of the U.S. richest folks live in the Palm Beach, Florida area including James Patterson and Donald Trump. Their Florida homes tend to be overly extravagant and the largest in this region. Despite this though, it’s Sydell Miller who can claim the biggest house in the world or at least in this part of Palm Beach County, Florida.
Miller, who co-founded Matrix Essentials hair products, bought the home for $4.9 million back in 1995. Miles uses this home to live in as well as host concerts and charity balls.
25.) Oprah’s Estate
Getty Images
25,000 Square Feet
Location: Montecito, California, United States
The Neo-Georgian mansion is not only gargantuan but also undeniably beautiful, as one would expect. However, the talk show queen’s home and surrounding property look quite a bit different than you’re probably imagining.
Winfrey has shown to be quite the private person when it comes to her personal space, so where we couldn’t find pictures, we dug up detailed descriptions so you can imagine yourself right there with Ms. Winfrey herself.
24.) Hearst Castle
AP
250,000 Square Feet
Location: San Simeon, California, United States
In 1865, George Hearst purchased 40,000 acres of ranchland. The deal included the mexican ranchos of Piedra Blanca, San Simeon and Santa Rosa. He eventually expanded it to encompass 250,000 acres. The estate of 165 rooms and 127 acres of gardens, terraces, pools and walkways.
Filled with the finest wine money could buy, the wine cellar was constructed during the prohibition era, and featured vaults to protect Hearst’s collection.
23.) Updown Court
55,000 Square Feet
Location: Windlesham, United Kingdom
Local news and residents claim that this is Britain’s most expensive home. Baljit Singh Bhandal created the luxurious, 103-bedroom home in Chertsey Road more than a decade ago. Set on 58 acres of land, with 50,000 square feet of space, Updown Court is larger in size than both Buckingham Palace and Hampton Court Palace.
The home has five swimming pools, a $6 million marble heated driveway, a squash court, home theater, bowling alley, panic room, and much more.
22.) Fleur de Lys
Forbes
35,600 Square Feet
Location: Los Angeles, California, United States
The property includes 12 bedrooms, 15 bathrooms, two motor courts, a pool/spa complex, a tennis court, formal gardens, a ballroom for 500, a two-story library. Also, it has a tennis court, a music room, a commercial kitchen, a cutlery room, a staff dining room, staff offices, security center, and a 3,000-square-foot wine cellar and tasting room.
Texas native David and Suzanne Saperstein built Fleur de Lys back in 2002, but the couple split up shortly after it was finished, and Suzanne put it up for sale in 2007 asking a ludicrous-sounding $125 million
21.) Haileybury House
Getty Images
65,000 Square Feet
Location: Lake Temiskaming, Canada
It’s a Canadian fixer-upper but, if you want a home to grow into, it might just be what you are looking for – provided you don’t mind the thought of dusting 65,000 square feet or its $25-million price tag.
The building includes a boat house big enough for a 40-foot yacht, two elevators, an indoor pool, a giant hot tub and 30-foot fireplaces in the master bedroom and living room. There’s an exercise room the size of a small gym. Plumbing has also been installed on the grounds for a few golf holes.
20.) Taohuayuan
75,000 Square Feet
Location: Taohuayuan, China
This beautiful mansion has a lake view, a swimming pool and a pond. The ancient gardens, which incorporate stones, water, and plants, are in the same city as Taohuayuan, a 72,441-square-foot mansion on Dushu Lake. With 32 bathrooms and bedrooms and a wine cellar, the interior decor is a mix of modern and more classic design.
When it went on sale in 2016, it was mainland China’s most expensive house, according to Mansion Global. With the $154 million (1 billion yuan) price came views of Shuzou’s skyline, the privacy of its island setting, and curved roofs and other traditional architectural elements.
19.) The One
Agonda
74,000 Square Feet
Location: Los Angeles, California, United States
The One, but it’s actually a 73,934 square-foot main house and some adjacent buildings that make up that total figure. Not that nearly 74,000 is anything to scoff at, of course.
Homeowners can roam around the house’s 20 bedrooms and 30 bathrooms, go bowling, or feed the jellyfish that live in the ceiling. From previous owners, it seems to be known as the “party house.” The new owner will just have to limit the guest list when inviting people to sample the wine room or chill in the night club.
18.) Villa Leopolda
29,000 Square Feet
Location: Villefranche-sur-Mer, France
The 50-acre estate situated in the French Riviera was originally constructed by King Leopold II of Belgium and was later bestowed upon one of his mistresses as a gift. Inside there are 11 bedrooms and 14 bathrooms, as well as a commercial greenhouse.
The home was used as a military hospital during World War I and has made appearances in several films over the years, including The Red Shoes and Alfred Hitchcock’s classic, To Catch a Thief. In 2008, a Russian oligarch purchased the property for a modest $750 million.
17.) Witanhurst
830,000 Square Feet
Location: London, United Kingdom
It has 775 rooms and several corgis. Because it’s also the home of a queen, we’re skipping it in favor of the city’s second-largest abode. The mansion has two basements which houses a 70-foot swimming pool, movie theater, massage parlor, a sauna, gym, and parking spaces.
The living space will add up to 90,000 square feet. Just who bought the mansion for $65 million in 2008 was a mystery, until 2015, when The New Yorker reported it was Russian billionaire Andrey Guryev.
16.) Safra Mansion
Lebanese Examiner
117,000 Square Feet
Location: Sao Paulo, Brazil
Surrounded by a high wall, the 130-room house is nearly 117,000 square feet, according to Brazilian newspaper Folha. There are two pools on the property, including one that’s indoors. The largest private residence in Sao Paulo, it’s located in the Morumbi neighborhood, next door to the city’s second-biggest home.
Though it’s been the site of several Safra family members’ weddings, there don’t seem to be many photos of the home online. The Safra family is as sprawling as its mansion, and they have pricey real estate all over the globe.
15.) Maison de L’Amitie
blog.concrete
60,000 Square Feet
Location: Palm Beach, Florida, United States
Located in Palm Beach, Florida, Maison de l’Amitié was bought from Donald Trump in 2008 by Russian billionaire, Dmitry Rybolovlev, for $95 million.
Maison de l’Amitié is home to 18 bedrooms, 22 bathrooms and 3 guest cottages, making it one of the largest houses in the world. The beachside mansion also has a garage that can house up to 80 cars, a 30.5 metre long swimming pool and bulletproof windows. There’s also a huge ballroom to hold the best lavish parties. Fit with marble, granite and mahogany and hyper-luxury furniture, the inside is definitely luxurious.
14.) Xanadu
thedailystar
66,000 Square Feet
Location: Medina, Washington, United States
Xanadu 2.0 is a mansion that overlooks Lake Washington in Medina, Washington. Bill Gates owns this mega mansion. He bought the 66,000 Square Foot home for $81.5 billion. As Gates is, of course, the founder of Microsoft, he has to live in a home that’s incorporated with brilliant technology.
The home includes built-in speakers for constant music selection and wall art that is changeable with just a one button touch. If any enthusiastic readers, they can choose a book from the 2,100 square foot library. Guests also receive a pin when they enter which allows them to adjust the lighting and temperature in a room without touching the thermostat.
13.) Pensmore Mansion
ky3
72,000 Square Feet
Location: Highlandville, Missouri, United States
Pensmore Mansion is located near the town of Highlandville in Missouri, owned by Steve Huff. The house boasts 13 bedrooms and 14 bathrooms.
Pensmore is not just a mansion, it’s almost indestructible. Due to the particular concrete created by Huff, it can even withstand bombs and earthquakes. The owner Steven Huff is an astrophysicist and former CIA officer and apparently, he wanted to use his home as a testing ground for energy-efficient and disaster-resistant building technology.
12.) Versailles
yahoo
90,000 Square Feet
Location: Orange County, Florida, United States
A residence that even came with its own documentary in 2012, ‘The Queen of Versailles’. Versailles is located in Orange County, Florida and owned by Westgate Resorts CEO David Siegel and wife Jacqueline.
The home has 32 bathrooms, 11 kitchens, 14 bedrooms, an arcade, gym, salon and movie theater. Also, a garage that can fit up to 30 cars and six swimming pools. At one point, an indoor ice skating rink was part of the plans.
11.) Fairfield Pond
billionairemailinglist
110,000 Square Feet
Location: Hamptons, New York, United States
Many wealthy families in the U.S have a second home in the Hamptons. Of course, the majority of the homes in the Hamptons are huge and expensive but not many can compare to the Fairfield Pond. The main house has 29 bedrooms and 39 bathrooms as well as a bowling alley, basketball court, a theatre with seating for 164, two squash courts, two tennis courts and a $150,000 hot tub.
Fairfield Pond is worth $170 million and owned by Ira Rennert, who is an American junk bond businessman and investor. However, in the 1990s Rennert was accused of cheating from a company he owned and many believe that the stolen money paid for Fairfield Pond’s design and construction.
10.) Biltmore Estate
cloudinary
178,926 Square Feet
Location: Asheville, North Carolina, United States
Ashville, North Carolina is the home of the largest privately owned house in the U.S., the Biltmore Estate. It was built by George Washington Vanderbilt between 1889 and 1895. The home is 178,926 square feet with 35 bedrooms, 250 total rooms, 43 bathrooms and 65 fireplaces.
The basement alone houses a gym, swimming pool, locker rooms, kitchen, servant quarters and a bowling alley! In the original construction, Vanderbilt also included a woodworking shop, brick factory and a railway spur that was three miles long, to transport materials.
9.) Antilia Building
newsnation
400,000 Square Feet
Location: South Mumbai, India
Located in South Mumbai, India, the Antilia Building stands 550 feet tall with 400,000 square feet of interior space and a billion-dollar price tag. Of the 27 floors in the personal home of Mukesh Ambani, six of them are parking garages.
The ceilings in the residence skyscraper are so high that a building with a similar height could comfortably have 60 floors. The home has nine elevators, stairs with silver-coated railings and ballroom with a ceiling covered with crystal chandeliers.
8.) Windsor Castle
getyourguide
484,000 Square Feet
Location: Windsor, United Kingdom
Windsor Castle in Berkshire County, England, is the self-proclaimed largest inhabited castle in the world at 484,000 square feet. Some say that it’s the largest house in the world because it’s actively inhabited by its royal occupants.
William the Conqueror originally built the castle in the 11th century as a fortress, but it wasn’t long before King Henry I made Windsor Castle a royal residence in the 1100s, making it also the oldest inhabited castle in the world.
7.)Royal Palace of Madrid
justfunfacts
1,450,000 Square Feet
Location: Madrid, Spain
The official residence of the Spanish Royal Family, the Royal Palace of Madrid is 1,450,000 square feet. The house is known for being the largest palace in Europe.
The home has 3,418 rooms, the world’s only quartet with Stradivarius instruments and paintings by artists like Francisco de Goya, Caravaggio and Giovanni Battista Tiepolo.
6.) Istana Nurul Iman
tripfreakz
2,152,782 Square Feet
Location: Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei
While the country of Burnei is small in size, the official residence of the Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah on the banks of the Brunei River is the biggest house in the world. It also holds the title of “world’s largest palace”.
The name of the home, Istana Nurul Iman, means “Palace of the Light of Faith” in Persian. At 2,152,782 square feet, the palace has 1,788 rooms, 257 bathrooms (no more waiting in line), a mosque for 1,500 worshipers and a banquet hall that can entertain 5,000 guests. In addition to the five pools and stables for the 200 horses, the Sultan has a 110-car garage for his coveted collection of vehicles.
5.) The Breakers
A4 Architecture Inc.
62,482 Square Feet
Location: Newport, Rhode Island, United States
The building became a National Historic Landmark in 1994 and is a contributing property to the Bellevue Avenue Historic District.
It was built as the Newport summer home of Cornelius Vanderbilt II, a member of the wealthy United States Vanderbilt family, in an architectural style based on the Italian Renaissance
4.) Elm Court
Wikipedia
55,000 Square Feet
Location: Lenox and Stockbridge, Massachusetts, United States
Elm Court is a former Vanderbilt mansion located in Massachusetts.
It was built as the Berkshire summer home of William Douglas Sloane and Emily Thorn Vanderbilt, a member of the wealthy American Vanderbilt family.
3.) Stan Hywet Hall
Ian Adams
64,500 Square Feet
Location: Akron, Ohio, United States
A National Historic Landmark, it is nationally significant as the home of F. A. Seiberling, founder of the Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company.
The estate grounds also include two tennis courts, croquet and roque courts, horse trails, four hole golf course, lagoons for swimming and boating, an indoor swimming pool and gymnasium were some of the recreational outlets available to the Seiberlings’ and their house guests.
2.) Blairsden
NJ Skylands
56,000 Square Feet
Location: Peapack-Gladstone, New Jersey
Set high on a hilltop overlooking Ravine Lake, the mansion is part of what was originally an estate of 550 acres.
In addition to its 38 rooms, the mansion has 25 fireplaces and 19 bathrooms.
1.) Searles Castle
Wikipedia
54,246 square feet
Location: Windham, New Hampshire, United States
It has seven stories and includes a “dungeon” basement. The castle was initially designed by Stanford White of McKim, Mead and White, a famous New York architectural firm at the time.
There are 40 rooms containing 36 fireplaces.
Did you drool over these biggest houses in the world? Well, you might feel like you live in a small box now compared to these extravagant mansions.
