Paradise Lost: what is in an abandoned mansion worth 224 million dollars

The magnificent house, which is called the "American Versailles", is located in Pennsylvania. The huge building with luxurious interiors has been empty for many years. In the early 1900s, it was built by the richest man in the world, but over time, the beautiful estate turned out to be unclaimed. Read the sad story of one of the most stunning old buildings in the United States, which, unfortunately, is decaying every year, further in our material.

An empty mansion worth $ 224 million (about 16.4 billion rubles) is called the "American Versailles". It has 55 bedrooms, 20 bathrooms and a huge ballroom. The sad story of the abandoned estate is connected with the "Titanic".

The building was built in 1900 by Peter Widener – the richest man in the world at that time. The luxury house is located on 14 hectares near Philadelphia. They say that its owner invested 20% in the creation of the Titanic, but did not go on a cruise, because he was at an advanced age.

Unfortunately, his son, daughter-in-law and grandson went on a tragic journey. The son and grandson drowned during the shipwreck, and the daughter-in-law managed to stay alive. Widener himself died three years later, leaving a huge estate to his youngest son Joseph.

The house called "Lyneewood Hall" has a large indoor swimming pool, an art gallery and a ballroom that can accommodate a thousand people at once.

Unfortunately, the magnificent building is abandoned. After the death of Joseph Widener in 1943, the luxurious house was deserted. Ten years later, it was bought by Carl McIntire – the founder of the Bible Presbyterian Church.

He turned the mansion into a religious school, but it was closed in 1992 due to insufficient financial support. Four years later, a luxurious house that needed renovation was donated to the First Korean Church in New York.

In the richly decorated building, you can see European frescoes of the 16th century and works by famous artists, such as Jan Vermeer, Rembrandt, El Greco, Manet and others.

Despite the fact that the construction of the house in 1900 cost $ 8 million, which now equals $ 224 million (about 16.4 billion rubles), in 2019 it was put up for sale for $ 20 million (about 1.5 billion rubles). Recently, the cost of the mansion was reduced to $ 11 million (about 804 million rubles).

Star mansions are usually amazing. Nevertheless, many celebrities have real estate that, due to various circumstances, has turned from luxury properties into ruins.