Bank of Italy Sells Salone Margherita and Real Estate to Fund Money Museum

The Bank of Italy has launched a new attempt to sell the Salone Margherita, a historic theatre located in the center of Rome, with an auction base price of 5 million euros.

The property, situated at Via dei Due Macelli 74/75 near Piazza di Spagna and the Scalinata di Trinità dei Monti, is part of a broader list of non-instrumental assets that the institution has sought to dispose of since 2010.

According to reporting from Il Sole 24 Ore, the bank is managing the procedure internally following previous disappointing experiences with private real estate advisors. This current effort follows a prior attempt to sell the avant-garde theatre that took place in 2017.

Sale Timeline and Bidding Process

The Bank of Italy has established a specific timeline for the disposal of the theatre. Interested parties are required to submit expressions of interest by April 28, 2026.

By June 2026, the bank will communicate the results of its evaluation to all applicants. Those who are admitted to the subsequent stage will be invited to submit an irrevocable purchase offer.

The sale includes a specific mechanism to handle competing bids. If multiple valid bids are submitted for the same amount, or if the difference between bids is 20% or less relative to the highest bid, the bank will initiate a bidding procedure.

In such instances, parties within that range must submit improved bids starting from the price of the highest current offer, with each subsequent increase determined in minimum amounts of 50,000 euros.

Broader Divestment Strategy

The sale of the Salone Margherita is part of a larger acceleration of the bank’s divestment plan. As reported by Il Messaggero, the Bank of Italy has placed 24 properties on the market with a total estimated value of 31 million euros.

This portfolio consists of real estate that is not used for institutional purposes, including former bank branches.

Reporting from Corriere della Sera indicates that the proceeds from the sale of these former branches and the Salone Margherita are intended to finance the Museum of Money – Bank of Italy (MUDEM).

The MUDEM project aims to create a dedicated space for the history of currency and finance, with immersive exhibitions already providing previews of the future museum’s offerings.