The Most Expensive House Ever Listed in the Italian Alps Is a Remote $26 Million Chalet

A chalet in the Italian Alps with sweeping views of the Matterhorn has just come to market—and its price, like the peak that towers over it, is steep. At $26.5 million (24 million euros) it’s the most expensive house ever listed in the Italian alps (the homes across the Swiss border are another story). Echoing the pyramid shape of the nearby Matterhorn, the property stands in a literal league of its own, located alone roughly 325 feet above the main village of Cervinia, Italy.

Dubbed La Fenice (Italian for “the phoenix”), the 12,917-square-foot property is defined by a formidable stone and wood façade. According to the listing, it offers 360-degree views of the Matterhorn, the Italian Alps to the south, and the Swiss Alps to the North with no property overlooking it.

John Harrison, a former partner and COO of the Swiss hedge fund Amplitude Capital, is its current owner, according to Bloomberg. He bought the property—which dates back to 1936—in a rundown state in 2015 and spent much of the past nine years rebuilding and refurbishing the home (its name refers to the chalet’s rebirth from “the ashes”). Harrison hired Mariapia Bettiol, an architect who specializes in high-altitude luxury projects, to help remake the home.

Jeremy Rollason, head of Savills Ski, who holds the listing, described the property to Mansion Global as “one of the finest chalets I have ever seen.” The home encompasses seven bedrooms spread across six floors; a spa with an indoor pool, hammam, and treatment rooms; an outdoor jacuzzi; gym; ski room; and wine cellar. “The refurbishment by the current owners has been carried out to the highest standards and is, quite simply, exquisite,” Rollason added. “With dramatic views of the Matterhorn and unsurpassed spa and recreational facilities, the chalet provides everything one might need in their Alpine home.”

According to Harrison, it’s for these reasons that La Fenice deserves its accolade as the most expensive house ever listed in the Italian Alps. “We are one of the few chalets built on ski resorts in Italy, so there really isn’t a comparable to benchmark this with,” he told Bloomberg. “In terms of chalets, everyone thinks of Switzerland and France and not Italy, so we broke the mold.”