Which Head of State owns the most property in Paris?
Nov 23rd, 2005, 06:44 AM
#22
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On the subject of foreign ownership of real estate, you might like this.
The American Embassy in London is in Grovesnor Square, and is rented from Gerald Grovesnor – the Duke of Westminster. This is the only major US embassy that the US don’t own freehold – and he says he’ll let them have it gratis if the US government returns to his family the land that was seized from it in 1776. The name of this land? New York!
The American Embassy in London is in Grovesnor Square, and is rented from Gerald Grovesnor – the Duke of Westminster. This is the only major US embassy that the US don’t own freehold – and he says he’ll let them have it gratis if the US government returns to his family the land that was seized from it in 1776. The name of this land? New York!
Nov 23rd, 2005, 06:44 AM
#23
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David, yes, but France has been on the outs with the Church lately, due to its claim that it's more important to be French than be --- (insert the name of any religion here in the --- space. Also, France is the only nation who did not send a non-clergy political head of state (or representative) to the late John Paul II's funeral earlier this year. France had always been referred to as the eldest daughter of Mother Church, but it appears that relationship is getting tenuous these days.
BC
BC
Nov 23rd, 2005, 07:16 AM
#28
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He's not short of a bob or two.
He was britain's richest man until a couple of foreigners pitched up - The Rausings who made their fortune by annoying the hell out of the whole wide world by inventing Tetra Pak - aka milk cartons from hell.
And the current richest is Roman Abramovich who is buggering up our football.
He was britain's richest man until a couple of foreigners pitched up - The Rausings who made their fortune by annoying the hell out of the whole wide world by inventing Tetra Pak - aka milk cartons from hell.
And the current richest is Roman Abramovich who is buggering up our football.
Nov 23rd, 2005, 07:32 AM
#29
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No shadow Art - just a bum steer!
Good for you to notice.
Not Central African Republic either, so that leaves the heads of state of:
Seychelles...French connection? Maybe.
Russia.......Oil connection? Maybe.
Gabon........Oil connection? Maybe.
Nigeria......Oil connection? Maybe.
Sweden.......Maybe, just maybe.
I was going to list The Sultan of Brunei because he is so super wealthy.
His hotels in Singapore are beautiful.
Flanneruk was interested in the method of calculation. Well, it definitely was not dinner party chatter or a tour-guide!
Good for you to notice.
Not Central African Republic either, so that leaves the heads of state of:
Seychelles...French connection? Maybe.
Russia.......Oil connection? Maybe.
Gabon........Oil connection? Maybe.
Nigeria......Oil connection? Maybe.
Sweden.......Maybe, just maybe.
I was going to list The Sultan of Brunei because he is so super wealthy.
His hotels in Singapore are beautiful.
Flanneruk was interested in the method of calculation. Well, it definitely was not dinner party chatter or a tour-guide!
Nov 23rd, 2005, 07:33 AM
#30
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The embassy "rent" is -- I forget exactly -- a couple of beans or barley corns per year. Back in the late Eighties we had fallen rather seriously in arrears. The ambassador at the time, Charles Price, had Garrard make a small silver box, placed the back rent inside, and presented it to the Duke over a nice lunch.
Nov 23rd, 2005, 09:18 AM
#31
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I think the Duchess of Westminster is a member of the Groucho Club in London. Every single time I have lunch there, she is sitting near me. It is an inside joke amongst my friends that she is stalking me. 
Nov 23rd, 2005, 10:23 AM
#32
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The head of state with the largest holdings in Paris is the Pope. A tremendous amount of property in the city still belongs to the Catholic Church (even excluding the older churches and cathedrals that are now public property).
Nov 23rd, 2005, 01:40 PM
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Are you sure about that Anthony? First, even if the Vatican owned church property, that wouldn't mean the Pope owns it, he would have no claim to it at all. The question was which head of State owned it personally, not which govt. owned property in Paris.
What was the point of that Revolution, anyway? Or maybe that was done a long time ago when France took away a lot of the property owned by the Church. I know some of the many Popes over the hundreds of years owned lots of stuff, but the current Pope does not own things just because the Vatican does.
Perhaps it's different in France, but in the US, I don't think the Vatican owns property that US Catholic churches do (nor even the archdiocese, although they may try to get assets), I think the actual parish owns it.
What was the point of that Revolution, anyway? Or maybe that was done a long time ago when France took away a lot of the property owned by the Church. I know some of the many Popes over the hundreds of years owned lots of stuff, but the current Pope does not own things just because the Vatican does.
Perhaps it's different in France, but in the US, I don't think the Vatican owns property that US Catholic churches do (nor even the archdiocese, although they may try to get assets), I think the actual parish owns it.
Nov 23rd, 2005, 02:21 PM
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Christina,
In the United States Roman Catholic church property is 'owned' by the presiding bishop of the diocese in which it is located; he can do with it as he sees fit.
Since control over property is the prime index of ownership and the pope is an absolute ruler, he owns whatever property the vatican owns. Which generally is vatican city and all the churches in Italy as well as Castle Gandolfo. If he wanted to have a going out of business sale (wishful thinking), he could sell the whole lot and nobody could stop him; however, if I were him and wanted to do this, I believe I'd hire a food taster first.
I believe that the same principle applies in France to church property as in the US but I'm not certain.
In the United States Roman Catholic church property is 'owned' by the presiding bishop of the diocese in which it is located; he can do with it as he sees fit.
Since control over property is the prime index of ownership and the pope is an absolute ruler, he owns whatever property the vatican owns. Which generally is vatican city and all the churches in Italy as well as Castle Gandolfo. If he wanted to have a going out of business sale (wishful thinking), he could sell the whole lot and nobody could stop him; however, if I were him and wanted to do this, I believe I'd hire a food taster first.
I believe that the same principle applies in France to church property as in the US but I'm not certain.
Nov 23rd, 2005, 05:37 PM
#39
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Hassan II (or deux as we knew him when travelling in Morocco a couple of decades ago) died in 1999. So I think he is out.
He was coming through the little village we were staying so they had people white washing stones on the side of the road.
He was coming through the little village we were staying so they had people white washing stones on the side of the road.
