The private island of Crevan in the Venetian Lagoon, featuring a historic Napoleonic fortress and green gardens, has been put up for sale by several luxury real estate agencies.
Brokers have described the property as an enchanted oasis of tranquility and beauty, offering a breathtaking view of the historical centre of Venice while remaining far from city crowds and tourist congestion.
Located 7.5 kilometres northeast of Venice and directly north of the island of Sant'Erasmo, the land parcel sits just a few minutes by boat from Burano and Torcello. Its position provides panoramic views across Burano, Murano, and Torcello across the lagoon waters.
The Venetian Lagoon is an enclosed bay in the Adriatic Sea in northern Italy that encompasses the historic city of Venice and its surrounding islands. Islands such as Murano are globally renowned for glassmaking heritage, Burano for its lacemaking and brightly painted waterfront houses, and Torcello for housing some of the earliest historical settlements in the region.
Prominent luxury real estate agencies handling the listing include Lionard Luxury Real Estate and Dimora Italian Real Estate, a partner of Christie's International. The sellers have not publicly disclosed the asking price, keeping the figure available only upon request for interested buyers.
Dimitri Corti, the founder and chief executive officer of Lionard Luxury Real Estate, said that Crevan offers an opportunity to retreat from the world without leaving behind the universal appeal of Venice. Corti added that a purchaser acquires not simply a house and land, but space, privacy, and an entire landscape that must be preserved.
Restoration and estate features
According to Lionard Luxury Real Estate, the private island encompasses a total land area of 5,700 square metres. The fully restored Napoleonic fortress on the grounds occupies 215 square metres of built-up residential space.
The current owner transformed the historic military fortress into a small private villa featuring four bedrooms and three bathrooms. The residence is surrounded by manicured lawns, vegetable gardens, and fruit orchards with trees.
In addition to the main residence, the property includes a private dock located on a small internal canal, alongside its own helipad.
Lionard Luxury Real Estate explained that the restoration carried out by the owners preserved the original internal layout of the fortress. The agency noted that the original perimeter of the island was maintained through the reconstruction of embankments and counterforts, while the ground level was raised using topsoil layers.
Military origin of the fortress
French military forces constructed the outpost on Crevan in 1806 during the Napoleonic era. The fort served as a strategic military post designed to protect the northern section of the lagoon from the Austrian Empire.
Napoleon Bonaparte invaded northern Italy and ended the thousand-year-old Republic of Venice in 1797. The surrounding lagoon and its fortifications subsequently became strategic assets contested between French and Austrian forces during the Napoleonic Wars.
Control of the island transferred to Austria in 1815 following the fall of Napoleon. In 1866, after the annexation of the Veneto region to the Kingdom of Italy, the outpost became the property of the Italian state, retaining its military role for some time after the First World War.
Following decades of neglect, Crevan was acquired by a private owner. The historic structures were subsequently restored and converted into private living quarters.
Comparative European listings
The sale of Crevan follows other notable European property listings, including an entire small village in Germany offered for 390,000 euros. Situated in the central state of Thuringia, the 24,000-square-metre complex contains 15 buildings and costs less than an average apartment in London.
Thuringia is a landlocked state in central Germany known for its expansive forests, medieval castles, and historical towns.
