Zizi Abdel Ghaffar –
Former Italian Prime Minister Berlusconi’s Mansion to Offer Guided Tours
The mansion near Milan, which belonged to the late Silvio Berlusconi, may be transformed into a museum in his memory.
Berlusconi purchased Villa San Martino, his main residence, in the early 1970s. It was here that the billionaire held business meetings, political gatherings, and some of his scandalous parties.
A source from the Forza Italia political party confirmed reports that the villa could be turned into a museum. At this stage, it is a “general idea” being considered by Berlusconi’s family members. Initially, the plan is to make the mansion available for private tours, and later open it as a museum to the public.
Throughout his life, Berlusconi filled the 70-room mansion with works of art, including pieces by Rembrandt and Titian, as well as hundreds of portraits, many of which were painted by himself. His library houses over 10,000 books, including biographies of Winston Churchill and Margaret Thatcher, while his office displays gifts from world leaders, including the late Queen Elizabeth II and Muammar Gaddafi.
In the villa’s garden, a marble mausoleum was built to house the remains of the politician.
It is expected that recordings of Berlusconi’s speeches will resonate through the corridors of the villa, and a documentary film titled “Il fiume della libertà” (The River of Freedom), produced in 2013 to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the Forza Italia party, will be screened in one of the rooms.
