Real estate in Italy

Italy has always been a country rich in real estate, in particular, luxury property. In 2024, the total value of Italian real estate assets is estimated between 5,000 and 10,000 billion euros. However, recent studies on the real estate sector suggest that the exact figure is 16 trillion euros. A figure that takes into account Italy's unique cultural heritage and the overall recent and ongoing investments for its protection. Furthermore, if the assets that reside in Italy but owned by the Catholic Church and the Vatican State are inserted, this estimate is raised at 25 trillions of euros.

History

During the millennia and centuries, Italy, for mild climate and for the great variety of climatic environments, offered the perfect place for the construction of luxury real estate and of great artistic and cultural value.

Etruscans

The Etruscans were among the first civilizations to reside on the Italian peninsula, and gave a fundamental contribution to subsequent civilizations such as the Roman one in the foundation of cities and inhabited centers. An emblematic example is the city of Volterra, founded by the Etruscans. Volterra was one of the Etruscan dodecapolis.

Magna Graecia

Ancient Rome

The first historical examples of luxury houses or luxury villas, are from the period of the Roman Empire.
In particular, the villas of Roman Emperors, represented the quintessential luxury.
Today some are protected as Heritage archaeological of inestimable value and as UNESCO World Heritage Site, as, for example, Hadrian's Villa.

At Capri, the Roman Emperor Tiberius had built 12 villas. The archaeological remains are scattered throughout the island, but they are, however, only 3 villas that have preserved the original structure still visible: Villa Jovis, Villa Damecuta and Palazzo a Mare.

While Nero had the Domus Aurea built in Rome.

Luxury Real Estate

The word itself luxury derived from the Latin luxus, and associated with real estate, indicates today in Italy, a category of properties of particular value and of high historical and artistic value.

Middle Ages

The dissolution of the Western Roman Empire brings in Italy the creation of many barbarian kingdoms, as, for example, Kingdom of the Lombards, that evolved over the centuries in feudal lordships. During this period were built the medieval villages with fortified walls and towers. Because of widespread fragmentation in kingdoms and feudal lords, often at war with each other, were built castles and fortresses, often embedded in medieval villages. Today some are protected as Heritage of inestimable value and as UNESCO World Heritage Site, as, for example, The "Historic Centre of San Gimignano", in Tuscany.