Ask anyone, and chances are they’ll say they’d like to own the world’s largest house. A place where they can stretch out and relax. A home that provides a haven for everyone to unwind in – to ensure that a space is both happy and calm.
The vast majority of people are content with a few thousand square feet of living space. The world’s wealthy, on the other hand, do not see it that way! Instead, the wealthy frequently spend their money on things that ordinary people would consider far too extravagant. Of course, with so much money, what else would they do with it?
The wealthy usually opt for homes larger than 10,000 square feet, with an unfathomable number of bedrooms, bathrooms, and extra rooms that no one knows what to do with half the time.
Then there are those who are extremely wealthy and want their home to be recognized as the largest house in the world. These people prefer to live in spaces that are 50,000, 75,000, or even 100,000 square feet or larger. The houses typically have dozens of bedrooms, a plethora of bathrooms, massive car garages, a swimming pool, and anything else the homeowners can think of.
While the majority of these extremely expensive homes could fit a small town, there are only a few people who own these types of homes – which could qualify as the world’s largest house.
A Look At The 10 Biggest Houses In The World
10. 56,000 Square Foot Hala Ranch
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.
Being 56,000 square feet, 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 are 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.
9. The Manor (56,500 Square Feet)
Remember Aaron Spelling? He and his wife Candy were the owners of this biggest house in the world, which is located in Holmby Hills – a neighborhood for the extremely rich in Los Angeles.
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 of the staircase in the classic “Gone with the Wind” movie.
When Aaron died, Candy 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.
8. 60,000 Square Foot Maison de L’Amitie
Presumptive presidential Republican Donald Trump is uber-rich, and his money allowed him to buy the 60,000 Square Foot Maison de L’Amitie for $41 million in 2004. He was the owner of this biggest house in the world for more than six years. As the owner, the house held 50 cars, includes more than 20 bathrooms, and sits 500 feet from the ocean.
During The Apprentice’s third season in 2005, Trump used the mansion as a challenge for winner Kendra Todd. She was provided with $25 million to renovate the home, using every penny to line the house with diamond and gold fixtures. Trump would later sell this property to Russian billionaire Dmitry Rybolovlev for $95 million, which was more than double his purchase price for this biggest house in the world.
7. Xanadu 2.0 (66,000 Square Feet)
America’s wealthiest man, who happens to be Microsoft’s founder, Bill Gates bought the Xanadu home for $81.5 billion. And, since it is Gates, the home was huge and extremely tech-friendly.
Just as it is tech-friendly so is being eco-friendly. The 66,000 square foot home, located in Medina, Washington, was constructed in natural surroundings, using the overhead tree canopies for cooling and heating needs.
It took seven years to the tune of $63 million to construct. The home’s interior includes built-in speakers for constant music selection. It’s got wall art that is changeable with just one button touch. And, if the home’s guests want to read, they have a 2,100 square foot library they can enjoy.
Another perk of the home is the pin given to guests when they enter. This pin lets them adjust the lighting and temperature in their room without touching the thermostat. This biggest house in the world is adjacent to a man-made river along with sand brought in from the Caribbean.
This biggest house in the world has a value of $123.54 million.
6. The Pensmore Mansion (72,000 Square Feet)
The majority of mansions were designed to be extravagant, but the Pensmore Mansion is much more. This biggest house in the world was constructed not to withstand any disaster.
The Pensmore Mansion is located near the town of Highlandville in Missouri and is owned by engineer and entrepreneur Steve Huff. Once completed, it can withstand most natural disasters and man-made ones too.
Huff made an investment in TF Forming Systems, Inc., which are the inventors of insulated concrete forming systems. The business and Huff work side-by-side to offer this powerfully strong technology to other commercial contractors and builders in the U.S. and Canada. And, it’s really no reason to wonder why. The ICF system is energy efficient. Sustainable and resilient.
At this time, Huff’s home is still under construction, and there’s no telling when it will be complete.
5. 84,626 Square Foot La Reverie
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.
4. 90,000 Square Feet Versailles
The Versailles was originally thought to be a lost cause, but it’s well on its way to being named the biggest house in the world. Located in Orange County, Florida, it’s 90,000 square feet that continue to see work done on it.
When the recession hit in 2008, Westgate Resorts CEO David Siegel and wife Jacqueline had to stop the construction of the home. For years, it was on the market with a value of $75 million. However, in 2013, the Siegels were able to start the construction once more.
The Versailles offers up an 8,000 square foot master bedroom, 15 other bedrooms, 30 bathrooms, two movie theaters, 11 kitchens and six pools. It also comes with a garage that can hold up to 30 vehicles.
3. 111,000 Square Foot Fairfield Pond
Many wealthy parties in the U.S. see the Hamptons as their second home. And, while a majority of these homes are extremely expensive, they still don’t have the luster that Fairfield Pond offers.
It includes the main house, with its 29 bedrooms and 39 bathrooms. It comes with a formal dining room, bowling alley, basketball court, two squash courts, two tennis courts and a $150,000 hot tub.
Fairfield Pond is valued at $170 million and considered Hampton’s most valuable home.
Its owner is Ira Rennert, who is an American junk bond businessman and investor, that had been accused of cheating $118 million from a company he was owned MagCorp in the 1990s. Many suspect the money he allegedly” stole paid for Fairfield Pond’s design and construction.
2. Antilla of Mumbai, India (400,000 Square Feet)
The 27-story skyscraper in Mumbai, India is also considered the biggest house in the world.
It’s the home of Mukesh Ambani and wife Nita, with an estimated value of $2 billion. Mukesh can afford the home as he is the head of Reliance Industries, an India-based petrochemical company. He’s got a net worth of around $43 billion, making him the fifth richest man on Earth.
Due to the plethora of money he had, the couple decided to build their home. It took four years of designing and construction, but it stands 550 feet high and has 400,000 square feet inside. What could one expect when entering this biggest house in the world? It’s got six stories of parking lots, nine elevators, and multiple lounges. There’s also a ballroom, entertainment stage, LCD monitors, and embedded speakers.
For the remainder of the house, there is a swimming pool, ice room, movie theater, wine room, bar area, and sleeping hours for the whole family to relax.
1. Istana Nurul Iman Palance (2.15M Square Feet)
The biggest house in the world includes 2.15 million square feet and is owned by the Sultan of Brunei, Hassanal Bolkiah. Istana Nurul Iman stands for Palace of the Faith Light, and this biggest house in the world has more than 1,700 rooms and 257 bathrooms. It also has five swimming pools, a garage for 110 vehicles, a banquet hall, an air-conditioned stable for 200 polo ponies, and a mosque for 1,500 people.
Leandro V. Locsin came up with the idea for the palace in the early 1980s. Ayala International, a firm in the Philippines, was retained to handle the construction process. The cost for this 2.15 million square foot home is about $1.4 billion dollars.