In 1930, Joseph Widener, the scion of a Philadelphia transportation fortune, commissioned renowned Swiss architect Maurice Fatio to build an impressive estate in Palm Beach. Known as Il Palmetto, Widener’s new palazzo was situated on more than five acres stretching from the Atlantic Ocean to Lake Worth. Instantly declared Fatio’s most exceptional design, it was a superlative example of Italian Renaissance style in Florida’s beloved resort community.
Purchased in 1999 by a successful entrepreneur, Il Palmetto has recently undergone extensive renovations designed to modernise it while preserving its superb architecture and quintessential Palm Beach allure. As a result, the estate now includes a majestic main residence, luxuriant lawns with a sculpture courtyard, a beach house, a six-car garage and much more.
In his day, Fatio was sought after by society luminaries and business tycoons for his ability to create luxurious homes with an impeccable Mediterranean air. The residence at Il Palmetto is no exception. Composed of a series of pavilions connected by cloisters, the property features an elegant formal living and dining room, ten bedrooms, fourteen bathrooms and a superior kitchen, along with family, billiards and media rooms. Ideal for entertaining, an exquisite mosaic-tiled area known as the Moroccan Room features built-in seating alcoves and an extensive bar.
At the main residence, countless regal details complement spectacular views of the water, while a loggia-ringed inner courtyard gives way to a blue mosaic-tiled swimming pool. Outside, the grounds offer a lush enclave of greenery and colour in which emerald lawns, towering palms and stately specimen trees serve as a backdrop to water features, a koi pond and coquina walkways. The early 21st-century renovation added two temperature-controlled wine cellars with capacity for 20,000 bottles and an additional 1,000 crates, a delightful two-bedroom beach house with an infinity-edge pool, as well as a lakefront boathouse complete with an elevator that serves the two bedroom, upper-level apartment and the two state-of-the-art motorised launches below. In this already peerless historic estate, such keen attention to detail has ensured that Il Palmetto will remain a Palm Beach classic for generations.
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$137,000,000 | IlPalmettoPalmBeach.com
Sotheby’s International Realty – Palm Beach Brokerage
Cristina Condon +1 561 301 2211
