27 Amazing Facts About Bill Gates’ House, A $125 Million Mansion Xanadu 2.0

The principal founder of Microsoft Corporation, William Henry Gates, is mostly known all over the world as Bill Gates. From 1995 to 2017 he held the Forbes title of the richest person in the world. As of today, his net worth is around $95.4 Billion making him the second richest person in the world after Bezos. Wouldn’t you want to know how he lives or the space that he calls his home?

Let us take a look at some of the fascinating features of his mansion in Medina, Washington where he resides with his family.

1. The total assessed value of Gate’s property which comprises of the mansion and nearby land which is named ‘Xanadu 2.0’ is USD 125 million.

2. The home has been named Xanadu 2.0 after the fictional home of Citizen Kane’s Charles Foster Kane.

3. Every year, the property tax paid for this 66,000-square-foot mansion is USD 991,000.

4. The mansion has a 2,500 square-foot gym.

5. It has a 1,000 square foot dining room.

6. Xanadu 2.0 has an 18-meter (60 ft) swimming pool which has an underwater music system.

7. The property lies on the side of a hill overlooking Lake Washington in Medina, Washington.

8. The house has been made from Douglas fir trees which were more than 500 years old.

9. The construction of the mansion required 300 labourers out of which 100 were electricians.

10. The total number of years taken to build Gate’s home was 7 years.

And the whole project costed about USD 67 million.

11. There is a total of 24 bathrooms in Gate’s home comprising of 10 full baths and 14 half baths

All the bathrooms are equipped with heated floors.

12. The artwork of the house can be changed by anyone as they wish

The residents favourite paintings and photographs are stored in storage devices costing USD 150,000. The computer screens located throughout the house costing USD 80,000 can be used to change the artwork as per anyone’s desire.

13. The guests can change the house’s temperature and lighting as per their requirement.

They are given a pin to operate the sensors and they can change the mood of the house as per their wish, in whichever part of the house they go.

14. There are speakers hidden behind the wallpapers which allow music to follow you from room to room.

15. Gate’s home has been designed by Bohlin Cywinski Jackson and James Cutler Architects and has been built in a ‘Pacific Lodge’ style.

16. The whole property is ‘earth sheltered’.

which means it is built in such a way that its surroundings aid in regulating the temperature all over the place.

17. The mansion has a home theatre complete with a popcorn machine and it can seat 20 people.

18. There is also a reception hall in Xanadu 2.0 which can accommodate around 200 guests.

19. The exercising facility at the mansion houses a gigantic trampoline.

With a 20-foot ceiling, sauna, steam room, men’s and women’s lockers and a state-of-the-art gym.

20. The guest house was the first part of the property to be completed.

It is equipped with high tech features as it was meant for testing of the technology which would be used for the entire house. It is 1,900 square-foot of excellence with a bedroom and bathroom.

21. The lakefront shore is made up of sand which has been brought in from the Caribbean.

Every year, the sand is delivered by a barge from St. Lucia to fill up the lakefront shore.

22. The property comprises of various garages located at different places which can hold up to 23 cars.

The one located underground alone can hold 10 cars and is made up of concrete and cement.

23. The mansion houses a total of six kitchens.

24. There is an artificial stream made on the property which is home to salmon and sea-run cutthroat trout.

25. The mansion is home to a huge 2,100-square-foot library with a domed roof and 2 secret bookcases.

The library also stores a 16th century Leonardo Da Vinci manuscript which was bought by Gates at an auction in 1994 for a whopping USD 30.8 million.

26. There was a $35,000 bid made by one of the Microsoft employees to take a tour of the house.

Microsoft holds such auctions every year, where employees donate services or products for bidding. The amount earned goes to company’s charity fund.

27. There is a maple tree on the property which is believed to be Gate’s favourite.

The tree is closely monitored by devices and when unusually dry, water is poured on it automatically.

These fascinating facts sure make everyone want a glimpse of the high-tech house. Well, considering who it belongs to, it’s no surprise that the home is equipped with exorbitantly expensive and high-tech features.

Also read- 17 Unknown Facts About Bill Gates Daughter Jennifer Katharine Gates