Unwanted churches are often full of historic and architectural charm, lending themselves to become amazing homes.
Want a home full of Italian character? Look for a church. According to Italian property portal Immobiliare.it, property buyers can find dozens of unconsecrated churches for sale across the Italian peninsula.
Scouring agents listings, Immobiliare.it discovered that many privately owned churches, which are no longer in use, are making their way onto the property market. Spacious, bright and ripe for conversion, they can find new purpose as magnificent homes.
“A change of use and a new owner can allow these buildings, which are certainly unusual, to survive the ravages of time, and continue to play an important role in present days,” says Carlo Giordano of Immobiliare.it.
Many of these unwanted churches are small architectural jewels. For example, in Asti, Piedmont, purchasers with deep pockets can bag a 18th century church built in opulent Baroque style right in the historic town centre. Decorated with stuccoes in tones of pale pink, grey and ivory, it spans a whopping 500 square metres, and the agents believe it would lend itself to a culture or entertainment centre, more than a home. The asking price is rigorously on application (Medici Immobiliare, +39 0141 595 236).
It takes less to land a 170 square metre church in Careggi area of Florence, which is on the market for €780,000. The building has recently been converted and comes with bathroom and open plan kitchen. It is currently used as a showroom, but it could be turned into a home, subject to planning consent (Studio Su Misura, 055 264 7126).
Far more work is required for a former church in Olevano sul Tusciano, near Salerno, but its history and asking price both make the renovation effort worth considering. The building dates from the Middle Ages—and is priced at a very affordable €90,000 (Abito Immobiliare, 0828 305 792).
The Olevano church may be the cheapest but is hardly the oldest on the market. The accolade goes to a tiny chapel belonging to an ancient monastery in Volterra, near Pisa. Originally dating from 850, the church is for sale with the rest of the monastery, which has been fully renovated. The interiors have vaulted ceilings, exposed stone walls and panoramic views over the Tuscan countryside. The monastery comes with just over 3 acres of land peppered with cypresses and olive trees. It makes for a heavenly home, but the asking price brings you back to earth with a thud—it’s €1.65m (Agenzia immobiliare Cav.Betti Agostino , 0577 935 236).
