Fort sale: Napoleonic island that’s a short boat ride from Venice

By Emily Phillips

A private island seven kilometers from Venice with a Napoleonic fort is on sale for £5.5 million (nearly $7.5 million).

The Island of Crevan, nestled in the Venice lagoon, has views of the floating city as the islands of Torcello, Murano and Burano.

The 5,700-square-meter property boasts the 215-square-meter fortress — now converted into a small villa with vegetable gardens.

With an internal canal and two private boat moorings, it's easily accessible by air or water.

It was restored in 1996 and offers four principal rooms and two bathrooms.

During Napoleonic rule, Crevan became part of the defensive system created to protect the Venetian Lagoon.

The military redoubt was built in 1806 and subsequently enlarged and reinforced under Austrian rule.

In 1866, along with the rest of the Veneto region, the island became part of the Kingdom of Italy, retaining its military function until after World War I.

It later passed into private ownership and was converted for residential use.

New owners will have the opportunity to consolidate the caretaker's quarters, creating the opportunity for a larger, more contemporary home.

Founder and CEO of Lionard Luxury Real Estate, Dimitri Corti, says: "In ultra-prime real estate, a private island represents one of the purest expressions of ownership: its boundary is not a wall, but the horizon.

"Crevan offers the privilege of withdrawing from the world without leaving behind the universal allure of Venice.

"What is acquired is not simply a residence and a piece of land, but space, privacy and an entire landscape to preserve."