The concept of “mansion” has become firmly established in our lives, but not everyone understands what is meant by this word.
Thus, a mansion is a detached private house with all amenities, designed to accommodate a full-fledged family. Mansions are often considered premium-class housing, richly decorated or originally built as a palace type.
A distinctive feature of mansions from other houses is their large premises and land area, location in a developed area and suitability for permanent residence.
Manor-palace
From the memoirs of I.I. Baryshnikov’s son: “...there were several dozen private houses like our house, which are now called palaces, in Moscow until the 20s, but now all of them are already in the treasury, with the exception of maybe three or four.
By their size, by their splendor in decoration, they truly deserved the name of palaces, no matter who lived in them. This was also our house, the middle building stood at rest on the courtyard, the side buildings on the street and, probably, had 120 steps inside the house in length from one end to the other.”
The Baryshnikov estate on Myasnitskaya was built in the shape of the letter “P”. This unusual but brilliant interior layout of the house was carried out by Matvey Fedorovich Kazakov. This decision was made due to the fact that the new building completely includes the old chambers of the 17th century.
Ski lodge "Vershina"
Cost: $155 million
This home, set on 64 hectares of land, is located in the purest, uninhabited alpine terrain of a private ski community. The 8-bedroom, 10-bathroom home belongs to Tim and Edra Blixseth, owners of the upscale Yellow Stone Club resort. Therefore, a potential buyer will not only have to shell out a fabulous sum for a ski lodge, but also become a member of the ski community by paying a fee of $250,000.
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Facade and style
Over the past years, the appearance of the house has hardly changed. Only the elegant balconies on consoles that existed at the windows of the outbuildings overlooking Myasnitskaya were lost. And, probably, the most amazing thing is that the uniquely beautiful metal fence has been preserved - with a strict elegant lattice between round white stone columns with cast iron balls. Almost all such fences in Moscow have been destroyed.
The courtyard is not that big, and given the building's low height, this could detract from the overall impression. To overcome this drawback, Kazakov moves forward the portico, an indispensable part of the structure of classical architecture, and places the columns on a high base. Moreover, the columns decorated with the Corinthian order are set far away from the wall, which gives the portico an unusual spatiality. As a result, the facade becomes majestic and solemn.
The outside walls were plastered and painted in the yellow color characteristic of classicist architecture. Individual details - the base, the horizontal belts crowning the cornice, the columns were made of white limestone, and all this elegant snow-white decoration combined perfectly with the golden-yellow color of the walls.
From the memoirs of I.I. Baryshnikov’s son: “The depth of the middle building was two rows of rooms, of which the front ones were two large living rooms (now the Pink and Green halls. - Ed.);
the right wing consisted of only three rooms, a large hall with columns and choirs (now the Round Hall - Ed.), a dining room (Oval Hall - Ed.) and a waiter's room (Divannaya - Ed.), then refers to servants who had to wear tailcoats and serve at serving glasses of water, kvass, and card tables..."
First impressions of getting to know the house
You can get into the courtyard of the mansion by going through double-leaf gates made of metal rods painted in a noble brown color. The building involuntarily amazes with its scale, unusual architectural elements and luxury. The building has a fairly symmetrical appearance. The main entrance to the building is located in the very center of the facade, between two antique columns placed on stable pedestals. The massive wooden door is topped by a classically shaped arched window. The building has two more pairs of similar window structures, which gives the mansion some airiness and lightness.
The body of the building is lined with coffee-with-milk colored façade tiles imitating natural stone. The roof of the mansion ends in a low pediment, the triangular field of which is decorated with an original floral pattern. The area in front of the building is covered with paving slabs of various sizes, repeating the main color of the walls of the architectural structure.
The area around the mansion is fenced with a massive fence lined with a material that has a pleasant brownish tint. The color scheme of the fence matches the main color of the walls of the main building. Near the mansion there are several flower beds decorated with ornamental plants and low trees. A significant part of the yard is occupied by picturesque green lawns.
Lobby
The elegant and at the same time strictly elegant portico is contrasted with the usual residential character of the entrance, which is located in the left wing, if you stand facing the house. This location of the front door creates a feeling of some kind of informal invitation, something cozy and homely.
The front door led to the front vestibule, which has survived to this day almost unchanged. For a long time such a room was called the old Russian word “seni”.
The extensive lobby is divided into two parts by columns. Located in a semicircle, they smoothly lead us to the main staircase.
Villa Leopolda
Cost: $736 million
The history of Villa Leopold goes back about 100 years, and this is another expensive gift from a man with immeasurable wealth to his girlfriend, namely King Leopold II of Belgium to his future wife Caroline Lacroix. The masterpiece villa overlooks the French Riviera and has multi-level gardens of olive and orange trees.
Ladder
The front staircase is magnificent. If you look up, you will see huge side windows and paired columns. At the base of the staircase there is a three-meter mirror that visually doubles the space. In the evenings, the staircase was illuminated by the living fire of candles from crystal wall sconces.
From the memoirs of I.I. Baryshnikov’s son: “The front staircase in our house was very remarkable, rising from the large warm entryway, straight without any turns to the mezzanine, wide sloping steps made of wild stone, under a bright arch, reminiscent of the stairs of an Italian palace. At the top of the staircase, across its entire width, there was (...) a platform, in the middle of which a high (...) door opened into the hallway.”
Lismore Castle
- Year founded: 1185
- Country: Ireland
Lismore Castle has been the Irish residence of the Dukes of Devonshire since 1753. Many call it the most beautiful castle in Ireland. The history of the castle began in the 12th century, when Prince John built a “castellum” on this site. After John became king, he gave the castle to the church.
Now the castle belongs to the famous and wealthy Cavendish family, who consider it their “spare home”.
Source: https://hyser.com.ua/articles/10-roskoshnyh-osobnyakov-s-bogatoj-istoriej-136733
Sofa
From the front office one entered the corner living room or sofa room.
From the memoirs of I.I. Baryshnikov’s son: “The waiter’s room (now called the Divannaya - editor’s note) is needed... and so that the arriving guest or guest, without even entering the living room, can fix their toilet, what item was in The waiter has a large mirror. Meanwhile, the most honored guests were already greeted by the owner in the waiter's room, as was done with us when they arrived... some flashy titles and let them know from afar about their arrival... . From the waiter's room the entrance was to the living room, of which we had two large ones...”
From the Divanna two branches of the enfilade opened at right angles - one led to the central part of the building, the other to the eastern part.
The central branch of the enfilade, consisting of several ceremonial chambers, opens up, according to the plan of the brilliant architect, with a gradual increase in emotional effect.
In front of us are living rooms one after another: green and pink and the front bedroom, which ends this branch. Then it was customary to name the main rooms according to their main color scheme.
Villa Franchuk
Cost: $161 million
The minimalist design of this five-storey Victorian villa has been updated by developer Michael Spink, where in addition to 10 bedrooms, an underground pool, several saunas, there is also a bunker. Now the owner of the mansion in Kensington (UK) is the daughter of the former president of Ukraine, Elena Franchuk. The building previously housed a preparatory school for girls.
Artificial marble
We should pay special attention to artificial marble, since it decorates all the main rooms and is a characteristic feature of the Baryshnikov house.
The technology for cladding columns with artificial marble was as follows. First, a column was made of logs, covered with shingles, plastered, and then it was covered with a thin layer of alabaster casting using dyes and interspersed with pieces of expensive Greek marble of a suitable color.
After this, the column was impregnated with wax and thoroughly polished. The result is a complete illusion of natural noble marble, playing with tints of light and shiny sparkles.
A few words about other rooms of the country mansion
There are many different rooms throughout the house. Some of the premises are used by the owner of the mansion every day. Some areas of the house play a significant role in the life of the family, but are visited by the owners quite rarely.
Particular attention should be paid to the dressing room - a room for storing clothes and shoes.
There are many wardrobes of various types, making it possible to place the entire family wardrobe there - from underwear to all kinds of toiletries used both in winter and in the warm season.
Everything that we managed to see today is very similar to a fairy tale - a luxurious country house in the forest with many beautiful rooms and halls, with a charming courtyard and pond. However, thanks to the efforts of talented designers, the plot of a beautiful old fairy tale has acquired a completely modern look.
Green Hall
The first living room is green. It is very spacious and at the same time cozy; elegant, but not pompous. The two front portals are framed by marble columns and topped with bas-reliefs.
Made from plaster, they were very popular for decorating rooms. The theme and execution of the bas-reliefs tell us about a return to classical antique patterns that were characteristic of the architecture of the late 18th and early 19th centuries.
The bas-reliefs created an additional play of chiaroscuro and looked very impressive both in daylight and in the fluctuating flames of candles.
In the green living room we see two almost mirror compositions. On one of them, in the center, there is a group of nymphs who crown the god of love, Eros, with a garland of roses, present gifts of fruit, and burn incense to him. On both sides there are muses depicted in round medallions.
The walls are decorated with artificial marble inserts. The stoves located in the corners are also decorated in the same way. Gracefully rounded, they change the configuration of the room and give the interior completeness. Stucco cornices with rosettes on the ceilings create a light festive mood.
Under the arches of the hall
After visiting this room, the image of something unusually light, airy and spacious remains in your memory for a long time. There is almost no furniture in the room - in addition to a soft sofa, where you can sit comfortably while watching TV, there are a couple of comfortable elongated armchairs. The main bright spot in the interior of the hall is an ornamental plant with rich green leaves.
Pink Hall
The pink living room with the delicate colors of golden marble on the walls, just like the green one, overlooks the front courtyard. This living room is smaller, but appears more ornate thanks to marble columns with Corinthian capitals and rich stucco framing the door portals.
The bas-reliefs above the entrances in the pink living room are placed in rectangular and semicircular niches. One of them depicts a funny episode - Eros, stung by bees, seeks protection from his mother, the goddess of love. An interesting household detail is a beehive made of wicker with a bee entrance in its upper part.
The bas-relief in the semicircular niche depicts Zeus in the form of an eagle, drinking the divine drink ambrosia from a bowl. The composition personifies the patronage of the gods of all those living in this house.
This plot has been embodied many times, not only in sculpture, but also in poetry. Take, for example, the well-known poem by Fyodor Ivanovich Tyutchev “I love a thunderstorm in early May.” It ends with the following lines:
You will say: windy Hebe, Feeding Zeus's eagle, spilled a thunderous cup from the sky, laughing, onto the ground.
This poetic adaptation of the legend about the origin of rain could well apply to this bas-relief, and Fyodor Tyutchev could have seen it, since he also lived on Myasnitskaya Street at one time. However, it is not known for certain whether he visited this house.
Top 25: the most unusual and very expensive mansions from around the world
As you already know, the richest people in the world love to spend money on real estate. Some of them have far more money than they can spend, resulting in the most crazy purchases, including extravagant homes with such frills as heated sidewalks, helipads and bathtubs costing up to $150,000. However, not all mansions in this selection are included here because of their price. Some of them are simply huge, others are bizarre, and others are unique in some other way. From prestigious homes in Beverly Hills (USA) to mansions on the French Riviera, here are 25 of the most extraordinary residences from around the world. 25. Hearst Mansion
Photo: The Agency
This is the former home of William Hearst and the location where the famous horse head scene from The Godfather was filmed. This mansion occupies almost 20 thousand square meters of land. The main building was built back in 1927 and has 28 bedrooms and 38 bathrooms. Price: $195 million.
24. Waterfall Bay Villa
Photo: Phucket Villa Rentals
This is simply the perfect place to relax in Thailand. The house has 6 bedrooms, has its own cinema, spa and huge swimming pool. The main highlight is the dizzying view of the bay directly from the terrace of the mansion. Price: $20 million.
23. Dar al-Hajar Palace
Photo: yeowatzup
This residence is sometimes also called the Stone Palace, because it seems to grow from the rock on which it was built in the 1930s especially for the Yemeni Imam Yahya bin Mohammed. The palace and also the summer house of the imam is famous for its numerous secret passages. Price unknown.
22. House at 41 Popcorn Lane
Photo: Sotheby's International Realty
In Aspen (American city) there is one luxurious luxury mansion with all the typical attributes of such houses. The area of the premises of the main building is approximately 1207 square meters, and the area of the caretaker's house is 370 square meters. The main luxury of this estate lies in its location - the Roaring Fork River flows right through the territory of this property, and the complex itself is located almost in the heart of the ski resort. Price: $39.5 million.
21. Alan Jackson Real Estate
Photo: Realtor.com
Country singer Alan Jackson's former home can be found in a suburb of Nashville, Tennessee. The property occupies approximately 546 thousand square meters, and on its territory there is a huge garage for 20 cars, a beer bar, a game room, 3 ponds, a boat house, a barn with a residential extension, a tennis court and a basketball court. Price: $28 million.
20. Acqua Liana Mansion
Photo: Curbed Miami
Florida is famous for its prestigious real estate, but this residence is clearly different from most others. Frank McKinney, a well-known real estate salesman, built this huge 1,400 square meter eco-home, inspired by his trips to Fiji and Tahiti. The building is equipped with numerous solar panels, a rainwater collection system for the pool, and so much reclaimed wood was used in its construction that almost 40 thousand square meters of rain forest were avoided. The house also has a separate room with glass shelves for storing wine and an aquarium with a volume of 7.5 thousand liters. Price: $26.5 million.
19. Balmoral Castle
Photo: Stuart Yeates
The Scottish castle Balmoral is just one of the many properties of the royal family. Construction of the castle began on the orders of Queen Victoria, and in 1853 it was completely ready. The castle grounds are so vast that entire herds of deer, cattle and ponies are even kept here. In the spring, visitors to the residence can take part in a real safari through the lands of the property. Price: $140 million.
18. Fair Field Mansion
Photo: Cfijames
This residence belongs to billionaire Ira Rennert. The gigantic house stands on land with an area of 255 thousand square meters, and the area of all its premises is about 5760 square meters. The residence was built in the village of Sagaponack on the resort coast of Long Island, where the wealthiest Americans live and vacation. In the tradition of the most luxurious homes, the opulence of this estate is not limited to the interior alone. There is an entire separate game house with a bowling alley and basketball court, 2 buildings with swimming pools and a theater with 164 seats. This mansion is so big that its garage can hold up to 100 cars! Price: $248 million.
17. Villa Elena Franchuck
Photo: Google Maps
This 5-storey, 10-bedroom Victorian villa in London combines the best of Old World style with modern British sophistication. Previously there was a school here, but now the house has its own swimming pool in the basement of the building, a sauna, a gym and a cinema, not to mention other furnishings that cost millions of dollars. Price: $127 million.
16. Poronui Station Estate, New Zealand
Photo: Sporting Classics Daily
Poronui Station is located right by the river, and this place can hardly be called just a mansion, because a whole complex of buildings was built here. On the territory of the residence there is a gym, a swimming pool, a wine cellar with a stock of as many as 10 thousand bottles of this noble drink, an Olympic standard clay pigeon shooting area, a place for fishing and even a private airfield. There is literally everything you need for the most discerning guests! Price: $23.5 million.
15. Toprak Mansion or Royal Mansion
Photo: Hidden London
You've probably already noticed that London is full of expensive houses, and life there is quite expensive. This mansion with a green copper roof was built by Turkish entrepreneur Halis Toprak in the northern part of the British capital, and the former owner even equipped it with a Turkish bath in the best traditions. The upper floors are accessed by a luxurious double staircase and a glass elevator. There are many other incredible amenities in this luxurious home. According to rumors, the new owner of this property, who bought the mansion in 2008, is now renovating the building, and the cost of this work was estimated at $38 million. Price: $65 million.
14. Shaquille O'Neal's Mansion
Photo: Uneek Luxury Tours
This Florida estate is all Shaq, because the legendary basketball player furnished his home in the most unusual way. Just look at the wall panel, which depicts a real-size truck rushing towards the viewer, a room in the ancient Egyptian style, an aquarium hall, an indoor basketball court with stands, a garage for 17 cars, a recording studio and much more. Price: $28 million.
13. Mount Lavinia Hotel
Photo: Mount Lavinia
Nowadays, this mansion has become a hotel, but it was originally the residence of the Governor of Ceylon. The house was built in 1806 right on the coast, it has as many as 275 separate rooms, and the whole appearance of the mansion testifies to the former heyday of the colonial era of the 19th century. Price unknown.
12. Bran Castle
Photo: Simbotin
There are several places in Romania where, according to legend, Count Dracula himself lived or stayed. This castle has changed owners more than once throughout its centuries-old history, but eventually, at the beginning of the 21st century, it again passed into the hands of the descendants of the Habsburg royal family. Price: $80 million.
11. Enigma House
Photo: Location Gallery
This is perhaps one of the most amazing holiday homes in all of South Africa. Enigma House is located on the coast of Cape Town, and everything about it speaks of extravagance, from the golden candlesticks on the tables to the luxurious swimming pool. However, the most valuable thing about this place is the views of the ocean that open from the windows and terraces of the expensive mansion. Price: $7.3 million.
10. Xanadu 2.0 (Xanadu 2.0)
Photo: Jeff Wilcox
This gigantic house (6131 square meters) belongs to Bill and Melinda Gates, and they have been building this complex for many years. The mansion is equipped with a variety of entertainment attractions, including an indoor diving board and a huge swimming pool, and there is some serious technology here. For example, each room is equipped with a separate climate control system, and the paintings on the walls can be changed by simply pressing a button. Price: $125 million.
9. Versailles, Florida
Photo: 350z33
This is the largest residence (8360 square meters) ever built in all of America. The construction of Florida's Versailles was started by tycoon David Siegel, and work on its arrangement took more than 10 years. As a result, a 30-bedroom estate with 3 swimming pools and a garage that can accommodate up to 20 cars appeared in Florida. Price: $100 million.
8. Fleur de Lys
Photo: The Legendary Estates of Beverly Hills
This property was built in Beverly Hills, and this is the second house in front of you, which is a copy of the French Versailles. The mansion has 12 bedrooms, 15 bathrooms, a two-story library, a large reception hall, a wine cellar (280 square meters) and a whole bunch of other rooms and amenities both indoors and outdoors. Price: $102 million.
7. House 2000
Photo: Yakusha
If you like modern design, then you will definitely like the creation of the interior design studio Yakusha Design. House 2000 was built in Ukraine and this amazing 5-story building was designed specifically for a family with children. That is why the mansion has a separate section for children with a treehouse-style room and an indoor pool. Price unknown.
6. The Gemini Mansion
Photo: Sotheby's International Realty
This place is considered by many to be one of the most luxurious beach houses of all time. Gemini is located in Manapalan, Florida, and the building's master bedroom measures a whopping 557 square meters, while the entire mansion measures about 5,850 square meters. Gemini has 33 bedrooms, a golf course, a treehouse and a whopping 47 bathrooms. Price: $135 million.
5. Villa Leopolda
Photo: Miniwark
This villa was built specifically for the Belgian monarch, King Leopold II, back in 1902. The huge mansion is located on the Cote d'Azur, it has 11 bedrooms and 14 bathrooms, and also has its own tennis court, French garden, swimming pool and much more. The property is located on almost 202 thousand square meters, and it was often used for filming. Price: $750 million.
4. Updown Court
Photo: LordWishanger
According to some connoisseurs, Updown Court is one of the most expensive and luxurious private mansions that have existed in the history of England since the 19th century. This luxurious home features heated driveways, an underground garage for 8 limousines and a private helipad. For almost 6 years, the Updown Court estate was empty, but just recently this house finally found its owners, who bargained for it for almost half the price. Initially they tried to sell the estate for $91 million. Price: $45.6 million.
3. Penthouse
Photo: Leslie J Garfield
The total area of the luxury apartment is 1500 square meters. The penthouse is located in the prestigious Number One Hyde Park development with the best views of central London, and is rumored to be one of the most expensive apartments in the world, and it was sold unfurnished. One of the most interesting features of this penthouse is the bulletproof windows. Price: $255 million.
2. Biltmore Estate, North Carolina, USA
Photo: timeless_toys
This is the largest privately owned home in the United States. Biltmore has as many as 250 rooms, and the mansion is still owned by one of the descendants of its original estate founder, George Vanderbilt. Price: $300 million.
1. Antilia, Mumbai
Photo: Krupasindhu Muduli
Indian businessman Mukesh Ambani is one of the richest men on the planet, so it is not surprising that he is the owner of one of the most expensive houses on Earth. The unusual structure got its name in honor of the mythical ghost island Antilia. It is said that the skyscraper permanently serves almost 600 people. Price: $1 billion.
Bedroom
From the pink living room we go into the formal bedroom. By the way, the word “bedroom” did not mean that someone slept here. This - one of the most ceremonial rooms in the house - was the reception room, the hostess's office, where she met the most honored guests. Accordingly, special requirements were placed on him. It had to be not just luxurious, but refined and sophisticated. It was the front bedroom that gave the architect the opportunity to show off the full brilliance of his talent and especially emphasize the architectural forms of the interior decoration.
In Baryshnikov’s house, Kazakov presented a brilliant example of such a room, completely original in many ways. The very location of the bedroom, this “abode of Venus,” is absolutely unusual - the bedroom is located right in the center of the building.
This not very large rectangular room becomes voluminous due to the fact that its center is highlighted by a colonnade. Arches rest on them, forming an alcove on the western side, that is, a niche in the wall intended for conversations.
The end walls are completed with semi-dome vaults. Just like in the formal dining room, an illusion is used here: the recesses in the ceiling are drawn in such a way that they visually increase the volume. We see paintings on the vaults, garlands of wild flowers, bas-reliefs and medallions depicting playing angels. The decor of the front bedroom is made in ocher tones. Corner stoves located on the internal main walls complete the interior.
On the courtyard area
This zone, perhaps, can be called the most picturesque and unusual place of a country estate. The leisurely evenings spent here in the warm season are especially pleasant. The interior space of the courtyard is lined with light tiles. Some of the soft sofas and armchairs are located under the arches of the arched open veranda. In the yard, next to the pond, there is also a significant number of places to relax.
Thanks to a rectangular pool filled with clear water, the air in the courtyard of the house becomes especially fresh and clean. In addition, the territory of the mansion is adjacent to a forest area, which gives the interior of the country estate a unique flavor.
Oval Hall
From the sofa room we enter the formal dining room. The walls of this hall are not straight, but oval. The dining room is designed in exquisitely elegant, calm gray tones. The columns framing the entrance portals are of the same color with blue splashes.
In the ceiling vault there are recesses in the form of diamonds, which are actually paintings. They give the ceiling more volume and height. It appears as if the little stars painted in the center of each diamond are actually twinkling in the heavens.
Behind the doors on the east side is a narrow corridor that leads to the service area. In the house of Ivan Ivanovich Baryshnikov, a system of secret passages was very carefully thought out so that the staff would not get in the way of noble guests. For example, from here the service corridors led to the round hall, and even to the first floor, bypassing the main staircase, and turning one flight higher - to two musicians’ boxes at once, one of which was located in the main dining room.
Live music could be heard from here, and a line of waiters lined up from here. Behind this door was the so-called pantry - a place that connected the kitchen and the dining room: family silver, porcelain and Bohemian crystal, starched tablecloths and other utensils, as well as clean dishes to replace those used for meals were stored here.
In the territory of excitement
“Walk - just walk!” This is the first thing that comes to mind when you find yourself in the billiard room of a country mansion. In addition to a table for playing billiards, this spacious room accommodates everything that a modern young man cannot do without, who cannot imagine his life without excitement and club entertainment.
Here we have:
- area for watching movies with a cozy gray sofa;
- comfortable bar counter with black and white chairs;
- a pair of chairs for those who decided to take a break during the game;
- a place for slow dancing.
Thanks to the dim lighting, the billiards room maintains a special atmosphere favorable for playing and relaxing.
