The yellow-painted building was built in the first half of the 19th century in neoclassical style by the eccentric Lord Charles Currie, a visiting Englishman who fell in love with Lake Como.
In 1977, when it was bought by Italian fashion designer Gianni Versace, it was in a
state of neglect: the new owner began to restore it to its neoclassical glory. The work, completed in December 1980, included the embellishment of the three acres (1.2 Ha) of ornamental gardens, which includes three cottages, a tennis court, a facade towards the lake of about 800 meters and a private mooring.
Before Versace's death, celebrities such as Sir Elton John, Sting, Prince, Diana Spencer and Madonna, were regular guests of the facility.
At the beginning of 2008, the property passed into the hands of the Russian millionaire restaurateur Arkady Novikov, who bought it for 33 million euros.
