The French Riviera is one of the world's most popular places, and home to some of the world's most expensive properties. Villa Leopolda, the gigantic testament of love King Leopold II of Belgium built for his mistress in 1902, recently sold for a record-setting $736-million to a Russian billionaire.

Although Mikhail Prokhorov is rumored to be that Russian, he adamantly denies the purchase. Villa Leopolda is most famous, not for the King's gift to his lover, but because of one the home's rumored owners, Bill Gates - the Microsoft founder. It also appears in a movie, The Red Shoes - a 1948 British feature film.

Since the home was built, there have been multiple rumors about who has and who hasn't lived there. Bill Gates is just one of the many people who have never called Villa Leopolda home, yet is one of the most commonly placed people within the estate's walls. Regardless of who owns it, Villa Leopolda can easily be considered one of the great wonders of the world.

The front of the estate is landscaped beautifully and surrounded by a thick, well-kept tree line. The steps leading up the estate are pink and beige and are the original steps Leopold had constructed. Lily Safra, former owner and wife of the deceased Lebanese businessman Edmond Safra, kept the house in remarkable condition. The mere size of the estate is mind-boggling, with guest homes, swimming pools, and much more covering around 18 acres - most of it being the main house.

There are 19 luxurious bedrooms inside of the Villa, including huge bathrooms, antique furnishings, walk-out terraces, and fireplaces. Other features inside of the home include sporting courts, a bowling alley, multiple kitchens and dining rooms, a movie theater, and other touches like rare marble and period artwork. Outside of the home, the olive, cypress and lemon trees are like miniature orchards on the residence. It takes over 50 full-time gardeners to maintain the lavish look of the landscape, and most are able to stay on-grounds in living quarters.

The 80,000+ square-foot estate is easily one of the worlds most spectacular. Villa Leopolda has been featured on many television shows like Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous and VH1's Fabulous Life Of. It has also been featured in many magazines such as Forbes, and is constantly considered one of the foremost historical properties in all of Europe.

There is some confusion over who exactly purchased the estate. The only information Lily Safra divulged about Villa Leopolda's sell was that it was purchased for an estimated 500-million GBP by a Russian oligarch. After Mikhail Prokhorov denied purchasing the home, rumors leaned towards Roman Abramovich, a big-spending, yacht-loving multi-billionaire. However, he has also denied rumors of the home's purchase. The only thing that seems certain about Villa Leopolda is that it has in fact been sold for the disclosed amount. It won't be long until the real owner is revealed, however.