Big Dog: Gunther VI sits by the pool at his Miami home— formerly owned by Madonna.
(AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)
You read that correctly, but it’s not entirely what you think.
The ‘world’s wealthiest dog,’ a German shepherd named Gunther VI and said to be worth half a billion dollars, is ‘selling’ his Miami estate for $31.75 million. This gorgeous estate once belonged to pop music legend Madonna in the 1990s (she first purchased it for $7.5 million).
Gunther VI is selling his Miami estate for $31.75 million.
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The legend of Gunther has been around for nearly 20 years. The story goes that a late German countless, named Karlotta Liebenstein, who died in 1992 and had no children but cherished her animals, left her multimillion fortune to her dog, Gunther III. Gunther VI inherited this trust, which has grown to $500 million thanks to property investments and strategic ventures, from his grandfather, Gunther IV. The rumor is the canine comes from a lineage dating back 40 years and six generations.
The home was once owned by pop artist Madonna in the 1990s.
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However, the tale of this canine worth half a billion is nothing more than a brilliant stunt by a group of Italian businessman who operate the estate under The Gunther Group in Italy. The group, registered in the Bahamas, invest in and own properties around the world, including homes in the Bahamas, Tuscany, Milan and Florence. The Gunther Corporation (part of the Group) owns the Miami estate. The group has also invested in real estate, publishing, sports teams, nightclubs and scientific research. Gunther is, however, nothing more than the corporation’s cute, furry mascot of sorts.
Gunther VI in front of his beautiful Mediterranean estate.
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The Gunther Corporation purchased Madonna’s former property in 2000. The private estate, at 3029 Brickell Avenue, is located in a prestigious neighborhood and is an ultra-private gated residence sitting on a generously sized lot that spans 51,000 square feet with 100 feet of water frontage. The iconic home was first built in 1928 and has since been modernly renovated and updated. It features Mediterranean-style architecture and interiors are 8,400-square-feet with nine bedrooms and 8.5 bathrooms.
Future buyers are guaranteed near-complete privacy, as there are just six other homes within this exclusive enclave, and it’s the only home with a dock. The landscaping is impeccable, with manicured lawns and hedges, many water features, towering palms, stone walkways, and a beautiful pool with a spacious deck in back that looks straight out of Italy. Mediterranean flair continues with the style of the home’s interiors, with a grand coral staircase, arched stone entrances, fireplaces, maid quarters, and more.
The entryway
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The home is listed by Ruthie and Ethan Assouline of The Assouline Team at Compass.
“We have sold countless multi-million dollar homes, but this is definitely a first,” Ruthie Assouline tells Forbes. “The property has a history that no one else can claim. The ultra-private gated estate sits on an expansive lot lined with royal palm trees, lush landscaping and showcases breathtaking open bay views.”
The home is just one of six in the exclusive enclave.
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The home on Biscayne Bay is one-of-a-kind, and even has a gilded framed portrait of Gunther IV in the living room. The home is just minutes from Brickell and Miami Beach, and is a great opportunity for future buyers to restore or rebuild.
Gunther VI lives quite the luxurious lifestyle. Alongside the humans who take care of him, he travels by private jet, eats steak and caviar, owns many yachts and cars, and purchased a $1.1 million white truffle at an auction. His estate also founded Gunther Rescue, a benefit society to help animals in need.
The entrance.
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“During our first meeting with Gunther, he ran up and gave me a huge slobbery kiss and licked off my lipstick,” Assouline says. “I think that’s what really sealed the deal.”
Gunther isn’t the first story of wealthy people leaving trusts to their pets. It was rumored when designer Karl Lagerfeld passed away, he left his $195 million fortune to his cat, Choupette. Then, of course, there was Leona Helmsley, who left her fortune to her Maltese, named Trouble.