You Can Buy Leonardo da Vinci's 15th-Century Home in Italy

If you’ve ever aspired to live in a 15th-century palazzo befit for a famed polymath, have I got news for you.

According to a new report from Travel + Leisure, a historic, three-story property in the Italian city of Bologna has just hit the market. The kicker? It’s rumored to have been Leonardo da Vinci’s last home in Italy before he moved to France.

The five-bedroom, 6,673 sq. ft. residence is touted as being “one of the best-known and best-preserved fifteenth-century buildings in the city,” and — most notably — features frescoes “from the late school of Leonardo da Vinci.” It’s been recently restored, but has retained many of its original visages — the vaulted ceilings, monumental fireplaces and terracotta details in the courtyard chief among them.

Further, for the history buffs, the building itself was built on a preexisting 13th-century structure and the courtyard that it comprises was home to one of the first private theaters in the city. So while the listing describes it as being “a perfect combination of classic and modern style,” there is certainly still plenty of evidence of the former in spite of the former.

What Happens When You Buy a House for $1 in Italy?

According to some adventurous buyers, it’s not too good to be true

That said, if you’re looking to kick back in da Vinci’s former digs, it’ll (obviously) cost you. It’s currently listed for $3,516,484, which is actually not that bad after taking into consideration that Derek Jeter’s early 20th-century castle was listed at $6.5 million (down from $14.75 million in 2018!) last fall and that thing is in Upstate New York. The seller is reportedly former Italian soccer player Giuseppe “Beppe” Signori.

Of course, if you can’t swing $3.5 million, there are still other options that may see your bella vita come to fruition. In fact, last November the tranquil and picturesque town of Presicce, located in the Apulia region of southeast Italy near the Ionian Sea, began offering up to 30,000 euros (roughly $30,000) to outsiders willing to purchase an empty dwelling and make it their home (most of the abandoned houses were only priced at around 25,000 euros at the time it was reported).

Alternatively, if you’d prefer a more happening area, you may still be able to find something for $1 in a place like Sicily — the caveat being, it likely own’t come equipped with legendary frescoes.