Carla Bruni 'sells Italian family castle for $ 11.5m'

Washington, Feb 5 (ANI): France's first lady Carla Bruni-Sarkozy has sold her family's castle in Italy.

The grand home, near the city of Turin, was sold for 11.5 million dollars, according to reports.

The mansion was purchased by Bruni's parents in 1952 and has been sold to an Arab sheikh, according to Italian newspaper La Stampa.

The furniture and fittings of the 40-room, 1,500-square-metre residence had already sold for 12.8 million dollars at a London auction.

The property was jointly owned by Bruni-Sarkozy, her mother and her sister, Valeria Bruni Tedeschi, Contactmusic reported.

Experts estimate its original structure dates back to the year 1019.

The star's mother, Marisa Bruni Tedeschi, confirms: "Yes, we have finally found a buyer. After all, we had finished with (it), nobody went there any more." (ANI)