One of Italy's historic castles,
a convent, and a Venetian island are among the "jewels" which
are being offered for sale by the national government to
encourage development and raise some much-needed cash.
The State Demanio, or property agency, has said that
hundreds of properties with a combined value of tens of millions
of euros will be listed in a series of sales beginning Friday
and likely to close on May 6.
Already, negotiations are underway for the purchase of the
entire village of Cittadella di Alessandria, set near an ancient
fortress in the northwestern region of Piedmont.
"It's a detailed sales plan, and not just to make money but
to promote the development of the regions," said Paolo Maranca,
central manager of State real estate assets.
One of the first steps is the sale of five valuable
properties each worth more than 400,000 euros that will be
conducted online but not through an auction, he said.
That includes a 14th century castle in Gradisca d'Isonzo in
Friuli-Venezia Giulia, a 24,000-square-metre building in the
centre of the city of Trieste, and the former 16th century
convent of San Domenico Maggiore in Monteoliveto in the southern
Taranto province.
A 99-year-lease is being offered for the surface rights of
the island of Poveglia near Venice, a property that actually
includes three small islands, two of which are connected by a
bridge.
The property lies opposite the Lido and near the inlet of
Malamocco.
Other properties on offer, with a total value of about 9.4
million euros, include 148 small assets scattered around the
country from Fruili to the Veneto in northern Italy, across to
Lombardy and down to Puglia and Basilicata.
The sale does not end there.
The agency said that another 208 properties will go on the
market at a later date, likely in September, including castles,
monasteries, villages and lighthouses.
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