The London apartment where Lord Elgin displayed the Parthenon marbles has been put up for sale for £26.25million.
The 5,085 square feet apartment spans the entire fourth floor of the Grade II-listed 149 Old Park Lane.
Ultra-high net-worth individuals are expected to be interested in the property which includes a grand foyer, 14 ft ceilings, crystal chandeliers, bespoke furniture, a reception hall, a master bedroom and four guest bedrooms which all have ensuites.
It comes with a £64,000 service charge, believed to be among the most expensive in the country, and all the amenities one would expect – including 24-hour porterage and concierge.
Along with its grandeur, the capital’s property watchers are also fascinated by the address’ unique and sometimes risqué history.
In 1806, Lord Elgin returned to Britain with the Parthenon marbles which he had removed from the Acropolis in Greece during his time as ambassador to the Ottoman Empire and took up residence at the address.
The 5,085 square feet apartment spans the entire fourth floor of the Grade II-listed 149 Old Park Lane
Ultra high net worth individuals are expected to be interested the property which includes a grand foyer, 14 ft ceilings, crystal chandeliers, bespoke furniture, reception hall, a master bedroom and four guest bedrooms which all have ensuites
The property comes with a £64,000 service charge, believed to be among the most expensive in the country, and all the amenities one would expect – including 24-hour porterage and concierge
Along with its grandeur, the capital’s property watchers are also fascinated by the address’ unique and sometimes risqué history
Lord Elgin put the treasures on public display at the address, which was then known as Gloucester House
Lord Elgin put the treasures on public display at the address, which was then known as Gloucester House.
More than 200 years later, the sculptures – originally crafted by the ancient Greek painter and architect Pheidias – continue to fuel a war of words between the UK and Greek governments.
But the diplomatic row over the museum pieces isn’t the only colourful chapter of this property’s story.
Around the same time the marbles arrived, Lord Elgin made the discovery that his aristocratic wife Mary Hamilton Bruce had grown close to the MP Robert Ferguson.
In 1807, the revelation led to an acrimonious courtroom drama which filled the newspapers of the day and would later become the basis for countless racy books – both historical and fiction.
Lord Elgin sued Ferguson for ‘seduction’ and was awarded £10,000 – a fortune worth millions in today’s money.
The Elgin Marbles also known as the Parthenon marbles was sculpted by Phidias, are a series of Ancient Greek sculptures created between 447BC and 432BC. They were previously housed in the Parthenon in Athens (pictured)
Elgin alleged he was granted permission from the Ottoman Empire to bring the sculptures to the UK. Even though, there was quite a paper trail during this time period, no documents have been discovered to support his claims (Pictured: The Elgin Marbles)
The Elgin Marbles (pictured) are a 17-figure collection of classical Greek marble sculptures made by architect and sculptor Phidias, a Greek sculptor whose statue of Zeus, the god of the sky in ancient Greek mythology, was one of the seven wonders of the ancient world
More than 200 years later, the sculptures Lord Elgin’s decision continues to fuel a war of words between the UK and Greek governments
The current sale is being handled by UK Sotheby’s International Realty
The building gives a great view over London and nearby parks
After the Elgins’ divorce, 149 Old Park Lane was occupied by Prince William, Duke of Gloucester and Edinburgh from 1816-34 and then by Prince George, Duke of Cambridge until his death in 1904.
Later in 1972, the first Hard Rock Café opened on the ground floor of the new building (designed by Colcutt & Hamp in 1905).
Later still, in the 1990s, it would become Lord Sugar’s first venture into property development in which he transformed the building into decadent apartments for the uber-rich.
The current sale is being handled by UK Sotheby’s International Realty.
On the company’s website they describe the five bedroom, five bathroom home as one with ‘rich heritage’ which is honoured throughout in the original fireplaces, traditional oak flooring and the period cornicing and panelling which have been hand restored.
It continues: ‘These traditional features blend seamlessly with luxury modern features such as underfloor heating, air conditioning, Sonos sound systems and Lutron lighting, adding a layer of total comfort.
The exterior of Grade II-listed 149 Old Park Lane at night
The bespoke, dine-in kitchen has been hand crafted from Jasmine white oak, the island, worktops and splashbacks are carved from polished neolith Calacatta and the space is fully fitted with state-of-the-art Gaggenau appliances
The apartment also has a separate back-of-house staff entrance with live-in staff quarters, as well as 24-hour security in the lobby, secured doors and windows, all of which are alarmed, and a CCTV system which can be accessed remotely
The property is managed by Loxone, the state-of-the-art building management system
A desk overlooking London and nearby parks, with the iconic Shard building and London eye seen from the left hand side window
The ensuite for the master bedroom has a modern light grey finish
The property has original fireplaces, traditional oak flooring and the period cornicing and panelling which have been hand restored
The property is being marketed by the luxury real estate company Dar Global – which listed on London’s stock market last year – and its joint equity partner Fairway Capital
The large living room allows for plenty of space for entertaining guests
The living room and formal dining area are connected with a large archway
The master bedroom has cabinet’s on either side of the bed with custom lighting
The ensuite bathroom of the master bedroom has polished Italian stone flooring
The view from the living room looking into the formal dining room
‘The finest natural materials have been used on the flooring throughout the home, Emperador marble with bronze inlay in the entrance hallway, bespoke oak parquet throughout the dining room, reception and kitchen, luxurious wool carpets and polished Italian stone flooring in the en-suite bathrooms.
‘The bespoke, dine-in kitchen has been hand crafted from Jasmine white oak, the island, worktops and splashbacks are carved from polished neolith Calacatta and the space is fully fitted with state-of-the-art Gaggenau appliances.
‘A large bay window floods the space with natural light. There is also an additional full service kitchen for staff with large industrial sized appliances and a separate formal dining room.
‘All five bedrooms have ensuite bathrooms and the principal bedroom has its own dressing room.
‘The apartment also has a separate back-of-house staff entrance with live-in staff quarters, as well as 24-hour security in the lobby, secured doors and windows, all of which are alarmed, and a CCTV system which can be accessed remotely.
‘The property is managed by Loxone, the state-of-the-art building management system.
Around the same time the marbles arrived, Lord Elgin made the discovery that his aristocratic wife Mary had grown close to the MP Robert Ferguson (pictured). In 1807, the revelation led to an acrimonious courtroom drama which filled the newspapers of the day and would later become the basis for countless racy books – both historical and fiction
Lord Elgin sued Ferguson for ‘seduction’ of his wife Mary Hamilton Bruce, Countess of Elgin (pictured) and was awarded £10,000 – a fortune worth millions in today’s money
Ziad El Chaar (pictured), chief executive officer of Dar Global, said of the Old Park Lane residence: ‘This really is a time capsule to a golden age – a special address, rich in history, situated in one of the most sought-after parts of London’
‘Located in Mayfair, this apartment sits between two of the finest parks in London, St James and Hyde Park, while also close to excellent restaurants, shops and London’s finest private members clubs.’
The property is being marketed by the luxury real estate company Dar Global – which listed on London’s stock market last year – and its joint equity partner Fairway Capital.
Dar Global develops high-end second and vacation homes in some of the most desirable locations in the world, including Dubai, Oman and Marbella in Spain.
Last year the firm announced a £240 million partnership with Automobili Lamborghini to develop 53 luxury villas in Marbella.
Research published in the first quarter of 2023 revealed that London’s ultra-prime housing market rose by 10 per cent in unit sales and 25 per cent by value of property.
An estimated 70 per cent of all deals worth more than £15m are currently cash purchases.
Ziad El Chaar, chief executive officer of Dar Global, said of the Old Park Lane residence: ‘This really is a time capsule to a golden age – a special address, rich in history, situated in one of the most sought-after parts of London.
‘Old Park Lane has, of course, long been synonymous with exclusive properties, but what’s becoming increasingly clear from the interest in this property is that ultra prime London is in high demand despite an otherwise muted period for real estate in the capital.’