Latest news with #Versailles
Extra.ie
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- Extra.ie
Inside spectacular Killiney home with pool and tennis court on market for huge sum
Looking like something out of the Disney+ series Rivals, this incredible home in St George's Avenue, Killiney, has hit the market for an outstanding sum. Built in 1871, Kenah Hill stands on an elevated site that sits atop 2.8 acres of mature, manicured grounds and offers panoramic views from Killiney Bay to Bray Head. And we haven't even turned the keys to enter the house yet. The sweeping driveway leads to the property, which is spread across 929 sq m and three floors of generously proportioned rooms, soaring ceilings and ornate cornicing. A double-height entrance hall boasts a monochrome marble floor and a cantilever sweeping staircase. Pic: Sherry Fitzgerald The morning room boasts a superb reception with a bay window and extra height ceilings, while the drawing room leads into the drawing room that boasts an incredible double bay window, Versailles parquet floor and a marble fireplace with a gas fire. The double bay windows boast incredible panoramic sea views. Pic: Sherry Fitzgerald The dining room boasts attractive parquet flooring and a feature fireplace with a coal effect gas fire, while the kitchen is bespoke and fitted by Mark Williamson with Silestone counter tops. An integrated American fridge freezer and a large island unit complete the kitchen, while three French doors lead to the impeccable terrace. Pic: Sherry Fitzgerald Heading up to the first floor are six of the home's seven bedrooms, with the master bedroom being double fronted with a bay window enjoying commanding views that overlook the grounds and out toward the bay. The en-suite bathroom boasts incredible his and hers sinks and vanity units, while a large walk-in wardrobe completes the suite. Pic: Sherry Fitzgerald The home doesn't stop there, however — heading down to the garden level, the home has a wine cellar and storage room, along with a galley kitchen, the seventh bedroom which is en-suite and a large playroom. Self contained guest quarters are just nearby at garden level, which is one bedroom, en-suite and a living room. Pic: Sherry Fitzgerald As well as the home itself, the home has impeccable grounds — with recreational amenities including an all-weather tennis court, and an indoor swimming pool. The pool pavilion is a highlight of the home, being encased in a glass solarium allowing for you to go for a swim in all weather, as well a bar area. Pic: Sherry Fitzgerald Kenah Hill, St George's Avenue, Killiney, Dublin is available via Sherry Fitzgerald, with a price tag of a whopping €10.75million. More photos of this spectacular home can be found below Pic: Sherry Fitzgerald Pic: Sherry Fitzgerald Pic: Sherry Fitzgerald Pic: Sherry Fitzgerald Pic: Sherry Fitzgerald Pic: Sherry Fitzgerald Pic: Sherry Fitzgerald Pic: Sherry Fitzgerald Pic: Sherry Fitzgerald Pic: Sherry Fitzgerald Pic: Sherry Fitzgerald
New York Post
27-05-2025
- Business
- New York Post
Vladimir Stolyarenko bought Valery Kogan's Plaza home
A prominent Russian banker is the buyer of Russian airport billionaire Valery Kogan's palatial spread — a residence ornately dressed in a Versailles style — at New York's famed Plaza, Gimme Shelter can reveal. Vladimir Stolyarenko who once chaired one of Russia's largest commercial banks, Evrofinance Mosnarbank, paid $21 million for two units — 1007 and 1009 — at the famed Central Park-facing edifice. The over-the-top lair — with trimmings including 24-karat gold and Venetian plaster — first asked $50 million following Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. Listing broker Charlie Attias, of Compass, declined to comment. Stolyarenko's new dwelling spans 5,302 square feet and features Central Park views. Its foyer spills into a great room with high ceilings and paneled walls — while the main bedroom suite has a bathroom clad in floor-to-ceiling onyx. 12 Valery Kogan. 12 Vladimir Stolyarenko. 12 A view of the expansive layout. Rich Caplan At the same time, Stolyaranko and his wife, Alfiya, have listed another unit in the Plaza for $10.49 million. What's more: Their brokers, Jessica and Burt Savitsky, of Brown Harris Stevens, are offering a $7,500 American Express gift card to any broker who brings in a buyer to unit 1503, according to the listing. The Savitskys also declined to comment. That unit, as of press time, has been on and off the market for more than 2,000 days. The couple purchased it for $10.37 million back in 2007. They first listed it for $12.8 million in 2008, according to StreetEasy. Come 2019, Vladimir sold a Plaza unit, No. 1903, to Alfiya for $10 million, according to property records. 12 Touches include 24-karat gold and ornate medallions gracing the ceilings. Rich Caplan 12 The aesthetic extends into the dining room. Rich Caplan 12 There's a separate nook to fit a smaller sitting area. Rich Caplan 12 A hidden bar. Rich Caplan The Stolyarenkos are also the owners of a now-dilapidated Palm Beach property that they bought from fashion titan Tommy Hilfiger and Dee Ocleppo for $35 million in 2018 — when Christian Angle, of Christian Angle Real Estate, had the listing. At that time, the mansion, at 100 Casa Bendita, looked good but needed a renovation, sources told Gimme. Last summer, the Palm Beach Daily News published shocking photos showing the mansion in extreme disrepair, with construction workers finally on the property to fix water and termite damage, rusted storm shutters, rotted doors and more. The paper has also chronicled neighbors' frustration with the owners of the run-down oceanfront estate, and the flooding on the charming cul-de-sac, allegedly caused by the home's 'backed-up drainage system.' 'There was a bit of a ruckus about it, because they let it deteriorate, and the town forced them to continue with the renovation,' an inside source told Gimme. 'It's been years and it eventually became an eyesore.' The source added: 'It's been a mystery. The buyer has been unreachable.' Added another inside source: 'It became horrendous.' When reached by phone, the Stolyarenkos' lawyer, Glenn S. Krutoff, declined to comment at press time. 12 Elsewhere, a library comes sheathed in wood paneling. Rich Caplan 12 The space has its own ornate flair. Rich Caplan 12 The master bedroom. Rich Caplan 12 A secondary bedroom. Rich Caplan 12 A powder room also has the regal design scheme. Rich Caplan (Hilfiger and Ocleppo also once owned the Plaza's penthouse. They bought it for $22.5 million in 2008, and then tried to flip it for $50 million a few months later. It was on and off the market for the next 11 years — including in 2013, when it asked a staggering $80 million. It ultimately sold for $31.24 million in 2019.) While many ultra-rich Russians fled New York following Russia's war on Ukraine in 2022, some are itching — and beginning — to return, several sources told Gimme. 'The ones who are returning have lived outside Russia for decades and were often educated in the United States,' a source said. The Plaza itself has its own unique history. Built in 1907, the French Renaissance-inspired chateau-style building was designed by Henry J. Hardenbergh — the legendary hand behind the Dakota. In 1986, it was listed as a National Historic Landmark. Two years later, in 1988, now-President Donald Trump bought it for $390 million and put his then-wife, the late Ivanna Trump, in charge — saying he paid her in dresses and $1 a year. He lost the hotel four years later. It's now owned by the government of Qatar, via Katara Hospitality, which was formerly known as Qatar National Hotels Co.
Forbes
20-05-2025
- Business
- Forbes
Macron Calls For End Of EU Sustainability Due Diligence Law
French President Emmanuel Macron speaks during the "Choose France Summit", aiming to attract foreign ... More investors to the country, at the Chateau de Versailles, near Paris, Monday, May 19, 2025. (Gonzalo Fuentes/Pool via AP) At the Choose France summit on May 19, French President Emmanuel Macron called for the end of the Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive. Macron echoed earlier statements by German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, encouraging the European Union to go beyond the current proposal to simplify the CSDDD to a complete rollback. If successful, it will prove to be a major setback for climate activists and human rights activists in the EU and globally. Adopted in May 2024, the CSDDD created new legal liabilities for companies relating to the environment and human rights. The directive was poised to force companies to look beyond their internal policies and actions, but also to those of companies in their value chain. Companies face regulatory penalties and potential civil action from those who are adversely impacted by the companies actions. This opened the door for a form of class action lawsuit that could be brought by those seeking damages for climate change. The final draft of the CSDDD initially appeared poised for easy approval. However, support quickly eroded, leading to 45 days of closed-door negotiations, false starts, and political pressure. Eventually, a watered down version of the final draft was renegotiated by the Council, then sent to the Parliament for approval. The fight over the CSDDD was an indicator of a wider pushback on the EU Green Deal. During the European Parliament elections in July, the regulatory burdens on business played a significant role. The conservative European People's Party ran a campaign that blamed many of the burdens on businesses on the green deal. It worked. The EPP gained seats. Environmentally friendly political parties did not fare as well. The Greens-European Free Alliance and Renew Europe both saw significant losses. Action was swift. The Council proposed the Omnibus Simplification Package, a series of proposals to reduce the scope of the CSDDD and the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive. Additionally, the package included a stand alone bill to delay enaction of the CSDDD and CSRD. The idea was to delay while broader policy discussions occured, That proposal was fasttracked through the Parliament. Member states now have until the end of the year to transpose it into national law. While the debate over broader reductions continues in the Parliament, national leaders are expressing their opinions. At the Choose France Summit on May 19, an annual international business summit hosted at Versailles, Macron used the opportunity to share his vision for the CSDDD with the business leaders in attendance. In a video posted by AFP, Macron said in English, 'We have to go fast and we have to do big if we want to be back in the race. For me, this is part of the top priority we have. First, simplification. We had first simplification… with this agenda, but clearly we are very aligned now with Chancellor Merz and other colleagues to go much faster. And CSDDD and some other regulations has not to just be postponed for one year, but put out of the table. I'm not even speaking about the content, I'm just speaking about how to synchronize with the U.S. and the rest of the world." The statement echoes broader concerns that the European Green Deal has placed the EU at an economic disadvantage by imposing overly burdensome regulations on businesses. Much to the frustration of sustainability advocates, this narrative will continue to fuel the debate over the CSRD, CSDDD, and other sustainability initiatives while the Omnibus Simplification Package is debated. Expect a final vote in the Parliament in late summer or early fall.
Bloomberg
20-05-2025
- Business
- Bloomberg
Cagni: Fraction of Choose France Projects Challenged
Only a fraction of 'Choose France' projects have been challenged, according to Pascal Cagni, head of Business France and French ambassador for International Investments. This comes as French President Emmnauel Macron tallies more than €40 billion of deals at the 8th edition of the "Choose France" summit organized in Versailles. Cagni spoke with Bloomberg's Tom Mackenzie on "Daybreak: Europe." (Source: Bloomberg)
Daily Mail
19-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
The lock of white hair 'cut from Marie Antoinette' hours before the French queen's execution
At its most extravagant, Marie Antoinette's hair-do was four feet high and boasted a replica of the French warship La Bella Poule, complete with masts and sails. And, according to legend, the French queen's luscious locks turned white from stress the night before her execution in 1793. Now, a piece of jewellery containing what is said to be some of the tragic royal's hair that was cut off before she was put to death has sold at auction for €7,500 (£6,313) in Paris - and the strands are white. The lock is tied with a ribbon and black thread and is curled under glass inside a decorated brass medallion. On the back, a handwritten note by a mystery author reads: 'The hair of Marie-Antoinette, Queen of France, was given to me by a Commune [revolutionary government] prosecutor in charge of inspections of the Temple prison at the time when this unfortunate woman was detained there.' The object sold to an anonymous buyer via Osenat auction house at Versailles outside the French capital. Auctioneer Jean-Pierre Osenat, told The Times: 'At the time, it was a tradition to give a lock of hair when you wanted to present a gift. 'It was considered to be a proof of love or friendship.' Marie Antoinette's prayer book went unsold at the same auction after its reserve price of €80,000 (£67,389) was not achieved. Marie Antoinette, the daughter of Holy Roman Emperor Francis I, married Louis XVI in 1774, when she was 14 and the royal just 15. It was said that her smile had an 'enchantment' that could win over 'the most brutal of her enemies'. Her jewellery collection was by far the biggest of any French queen and rivalled only by Empress Josephine, the wife of Napoleon Bonaparte. By the end of 1776, Marie Antoinette had a dress allowance of 150,000 livres, at a time when the price of an an average house in a French town was 200 livres. As she gambled, partied and lavished money on whatever took her fancy, she racked up bills of nearly 500,000 livres. Versailles was the centre of fashion at its peak of eccentricity. Wigs were packed with powder and adorned with ribbons, feathers, flowers, fruit and even stuffed birds. Marie Antoinette's biggest passion was her jewels. Louis raided the French crown jewels to allow his queen to indulge her love of rubies, and she was also a particular fan of pearls. But Marie Antoinette never said the words that are most famously associated with her: 'Let them eat cake'. The words were allegedly a dismissal of the suffering of the French people. Her popularity took a further hit in the saga that became known as the Affair of the Diamond Necklace. In 1791, two years after the French Revolution had begun, Marie Antoinette and her husband were captured as they tried to flee Paris. Nine months after her husband's execution, Marie Antoinette was tried and found guilty on exaggerated charges that included high treason, promiscuity and incest with her son. On October 16, 1793, her head was cut off and presented to the cheering crowd.
