An opulent apartment in a building overlooking Venice’s canals that was once home to German philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche is up for sale for €2.5 million (US$2.65 million)—and it comes with its own chapel.
Looking out onto the Rio dei Mendicanti canal in Venice’s Cannaregio neighborhood, the four-bedroom, three-bathroom apartment is in Palazzo Berlendis, a historical neoclassical-style building that dates back to 1600, when it was commissioned by a rich almond merchant nicknamed "El Mandoler" for his daughter.
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It later became the Venetian residence of Friedrich Nietzsche, who likely composed ''L'Ombra di Venezia" and "Thus Spoke Zarathustra" there during the 1880s, according to listing agent Giacomo Argenio of Engel & Völkers Venezia.
Nietzsche, who did not become well-known around the world until after his death in 1900 and coined the phrase "That which does not kill us, makes us stronger," visited Venice five times and it was during his first visit to the city that he stayed at Palazzo Berlendis.
The palazzo was later split into apartments and Mr. Argenio told Mansion Global that this one has come on the market after its Italian owner passed away. So far much of the interest in it has come from international buyers from the U.S. and the U.K. Around 90% of buyers in Venice are from abroad, he said.
The 3,229-square-foot apartment has many beautiful and historic features, including a private chapel, while one of the main rooms has a rare wood-paneled alcove dating from the 18th century, featuring the work of the painter Francesco Fontebasso.
Other design features include marble floors, high ceilings, stucco ornamentation, door murals and frescoes depicting the country residence of the Berlendis family. The main bathroom, meanwhile, boasts original mosaics by the Italian glass artist Napoleone Martinuzzi dating from the 20th century.
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It also has a 15-square-meter panoramic terrace that overlooks both the Venetian lagoon and the church tower of San Marco. Mr. Argenio said it was quite rare for historic buildings in the area to have such a large terrace.