From Arcore to Villa Certosa on the Costa Smeralda, here is Berlusconi’s real estate assets

If there are historical figures and famous artists who can be identified with a precise place – Gabriele D’Annunzio’s Vittoriale, for example – for Berlusconi the operation would be much more difficult. Because there are various symbolic places that have characterized the path, not only political, of the leader of Forza Italia, who has lived in many houses and, as a building contractor, has built more: starting with those in Segrate, in the which will be known as Milano 2. The first residence that comes to mind is undoubtedly the historic Brianza residence in Arcore, Villa San Martino.

Built by the marquises Casati Stampa in the 18th century, it was sold in 1973 by an heir, Anna Maria Casati Stampa di Soncino, to the then entrepreneur Berlusconi, through the woman’s former guardian, the lawyer Cesare Previti. Over the years, the villa has undergone numerous renovations, is surrounded by an immense park, contains a precious art gallery and a library of ten thousand volumes. And it is precisely in the park of Villa San Martino that Berlusconi had a controversial mausoleum built by the artist Pietro Cascella, entitled ‘The vault of heaven’, which, however, will hardly be able to house the remains of the Knight. The law currently prohibits it.

Another symbolic place is certainly Villa Certosa, in Porto Rotondo. Berlusconi’s summer residence enjoyed enormous popularity in the Cav’s roaring years, when Sardinia hosted celebrities and powerful political leaders such as Russian President Vladimir Putin. In particular, the image in which the national Silvio, complete with a bandana, was immortalized in the company of the then British prime minister Tony Blair and his wife Cherie is iconic. Also in Rome there are several places that have become symbols of centre-right politics. After the first headquarters of Forza Italia, in via dell’Anima, and before the last Roman residence – Villa Grande on the ancient Appian Way, offered on loan for use to Franco Zeffirelli for a long time – for years Berlusconi used Palazzo Grazioli, a stone’s throw from Piazza Venezia. Il Cavaliere rented the second floor of the building (apparently for 40,000 euros a month) and transformed it into the headquarters of Forza Italia and the entire centre-right, closing the party headquarters in via dell’Anima.

Other residences have less frequently risen to prominence, from Villa Due Palme in Lampedusa to Villa Comalcione on Lake Como, from Villa Gernetto in Lesmo (which should house the University of Liberal Thought) to the villas in Antigua, from Villa Maria in Rogoredo di Casatenovo at Villa Campari on Lake Maggiore (long property of the 19th century politician and patriot Cesare Correnti). Better known are the villa in via Rovani in Milan and Villa Belvedere in Macherio, the latter for a long time the residence of his ex-wife Veronica Lario.

Finally, the Blue Horizon villa in Bermuda remains engraved in the memory, also thanks to an image that went around the world: Berlusconi jogging with Letta, Confalonieri, Dell’Utri, Galliani and Bernasconi. All running after the boss and all in white shorts: the daily training wanted by Berlusconi to keep his men in shape.