In southern Sao Paulo, Brazil, there stands a £306 million mansion known as Mansao Safra, boasting 130 rooms and spanning 22,000 square meters, with over 11,000 square meters of built space. Built by banker Joseph Safra during the 1990s, the estate surpasses the White House in size and is twice the size of the Brazilian president’s official residence.
This colossal residence, ranking as the 11th largest in the world, features five floors, including three underground levels, interconnected by nine lifts. Initially valued at around £8 million, the mansion’s worth has significantly appreciated over time, reflecting the increasing wealth of the Safra family. Joseph’s widow, Vicky, holds an estimated net worth of about £19.5 billion according to Forbes magazine.
Designed by French architect Alain Raynaud, the mansion draws inspiration from the Palace of Versailles and pays tribute to Roman aristocratic palaces. The interior remains a closely guarded secret, with limited access granted to only a few visitors. The property includes amenities such as an Olympic-sized swimming pool, a helipad, seven family suites, and a robust security system.
The mansion’s energy consumption is estimated to be adequate to power a town of 2,000 people. Joseph Safra, the original owner, relocated to Brazil from Lebanon as a teenager and established the Safra Group, a global banking and financial empire spanning various regions worldwide. Forbes once ranked him as the 52nd wealthiest individual globally and Brazil’s richest man.
Upon Joseph Safra’s passing in 2020 at the age of 82, his wealth, including the Safra Mansion, was inherited by Vicky and their children. This transition elevated Vicky to become Brazil’s second-richest individual after Eduardo Savrin, co-founder of Facebook. Vicky and Joseph’s partnership in building the Safra Group began when they married at a young age, eventually growing the enterprise into a financial powerhouse with roots in Syria and a strong presence in Brazil.
Established in 1972, Banco Safra evolved into one of Brazil’s largest financial institutions under Vicky and Joseph’s leadership. Today, Vicky oversees The Vicky and Joseph Safra Philanthropic Foundation, supporting initiatives in health, education, arts, and culture to extend the family’s legacy of social impact and charitable contributions.